Progress of the Sculpture

Once the design was agreed upon between Chief Henry Standing Bear and Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, as stated above, it took until 1948 for the work to commence. Ziolkowski had been well known in the field after his award winning work at the New York World's Fair of 1939. The two men met often over the next seven years before Ziolkowski returned to the Black Hills on May 3, 1947 to prepare the huge task of starting Crazy Horse. On that June date in 1948, the first dynamite blast blew chunks of the mountain away. The event was attended by five survivors of the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

The head and face were completed in 1998 under the tutelege of his wife Ruth and seven of their children. The work on the arm, which points toward all past Lakota land and the graves of their people, has now been completed Next on the agenda is work on the horse beneath the arm. There is hope that a good portion of the work will be completed by 2037, however, personnel at the site think it will take thirty years.

Photo above: Chief Henry Standing Bear and Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski. unkown date and photographer. Courtesy Crazy Horse Memorial.

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History of Crazy Horse and the Lakota

Tasunke Witco, known as Crazy Horse, was born around 1840, an Oglála Lakota, near Rapid Creek, forty miles from the Memorial site. By the time he was in his teens, he had become a fierce and noted Lakota warrior. In 1876, in perhaps his most noted battle against the Army of the United States, Chief Crazy attacked the 7th Cavalry under General George Armstrong Custer at the Little Big Horn. None of Custer's men, including nine officers and two hundred eighty soldiers, survived. About thirty Lakota warriors were killed. One year later, Chief Crazy Horse approached Fort Robinson under a flag of truce, wanting to negotiate a surrender of his people. When negotiations broke down, thought by bad translation, the fort guards attempted to imprison him. Crazy Horse fought back, drew his knife, but was killed by a soldier with a bayonet.

It was estimated in 1881 that 16,110 Lakota people lived in the United States, most now on reservations due to an increase in the U.S. Army soldiers stationed in the area, which led to the end of the Great Sioux War in 1877. For the Oglála Lakota, the largest group, they were confined to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

But this tragic end to the historic lifestyle and culture of the Lakota did not, in any way, end the Lakota traditions or success. Yes, it was true that it took decades, albeit almost a century, but today the Lakota nation numbers 170,000. They continue to practice their rituals and dances while adapting to the current lifestyles of those around them. No, that's not great. But it's true. The Crazy Horse Memorial is one such reminder, however, of the great Native American nation of the past and the future.

Image above: The Lakota people being led by Chief Crazy Horse to surrender at Fort Sheridan, May 6, 1877, 1877, Mr. Hottes. Courtesy Wikipedia Commons. Below: One of the dancers from the Lakota family of champion hoop dancers showing their Native culture during a performance at the Crazy Horse Memorial Visitor Center, 2024, America's Best History

Future Plans

It's not really fair to consider these plans as those of the future as they lead all the way back to the vision that Chief Henry Standing Bear, an educated man at the Carlisle School, thought in the 1930's. There needed to be a large sculpture to honor the Lakota people. as the Chief stated, "Red men have great heroes, too." By building the monument to Chief Crazy Horse, that one goal would be achieved and assist in funding a university, which is intended to grow in the space between the Visitor Center and the mountain over the years. While the Crazy Horse Memorial may take thirty more years to complete, the college called the Indian University of North America has begun. It is associated with the Black Hills State University.

How can you help the Crazy Horse Memorial achieve its many goals. You can donate to the Crazy Horse Memorial Fund here. The Memorial still takes no state or federal funds for the project.

Photo above: Exhibit inside Crazy Horse Visitor Center showing topographic map about future of entire site, including memorial, when completed, 2024, America's Best History.

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