Mission: The Mission of © Memorial Foundation is to protect and preserve the culture, tradition, and living heritage of the North American Indians. The Foundation demonstrates its commitment to this endeavor by following these objectives:  Continuing the progress on the world’s largest sculptural undertaking by carving a Memorial of Lakota leader Crazy Horse;  Providing educational and cultural programming to encourage harmony and reconciliation among all peoples and nations;  Acting as a repository for Native American artifacts, arts, and crafts through THE INDIAN MUSEUM OF NORTH AMERICA® and THE NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL CENTER®; "History repeatedly has witnessed the submergence of minorities. The culture and tradition of the conquered not infrequently have been lost and posterity has been deprived of valuable record. Thus, history has left its imprint on the Dakotas. The cultures and traditions of the North American Indian, in their sociological, political and economic progression, are in danger of being obliterated. Henry Standing Bear, a Lakota chief, sensing this calamity, conceived the idea of a portrait likeness of the Lakota leader, Crazy Horse, carved out of the lasting granite of his Paha Sapa. To create this memorial he enlisted the sympathies of Korczak Ziolkowski, who already had given much of his time, energy, artistic skill, and resources to the initial phases of such a project." When completed it will be the world's largest mountain carving. The Dreamer: "Brule Lakota Henry Standing Bear, Lakota Sioux Intancan, was born near Pierre, South Dakota, along the Missouri River – probably in 1874. He died in 1953. In his early teens, Standing Bear (Mato Najen) became one of the first Native Americans to attend Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania where he took on the name of "Henry". As a result of attending Carlisle, Standing Bear concluded that in order to best help his people, it would be necessary for him to learn the ways of the non‐Native world. Somewhat ironically, Carlisle – an institution that was designed to assimilate Native Americans out of their indigenous ways – became a source of inspiration that Standing Bear would repeatedly draw upon to shape his enlightened understanding of cross‐ cultural relationships, as well as to find new ways of preserving his people's culture and history." "In 1933, Standing Bear learned of a monument that was to be constructed at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. The monument was to honor his maternal cousin, CrazyHorse, who was killed at Fort Robinson in 1877. Standing Bear wrote to James Cook who was steering the planned project – sharing with Cook that he and many of his fellow Lakota leaders had formed the Association and were promoting a carving of Crazy Horse in the sacred Paha Sapa – . Standing Bear explained that as a relative of Crazy Horse, it was culturally appropriate for him to initiate such a memorial to his cousin. In addition, Standing Bear believed strongly that the Black Hills, because of the spiritual significance to the Lakota people, was the only appropriate place for such a memorial. These two beliefs would finally lead Standing Bear to search for a man with skills great enough to carve a memorial to Crazy Horse." Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski: The Mountain Carver "Born in of Polish descent, Korczak was orphaned at age one. He grew up in a series of foster homes. As a boy he was badly mistreated, but he learned to work very hard. He also gained heavy construction knowledge and other skills helping his foster father." "Though he never took a lesson in art or sculpture he studied the masters and launched a successful studio career doing commissioned sculpture throughout New England, Boston and …A childhood dream came true when he was asked to assist at during the summer of 1939. Media reports about Korczak’s World’s Fair prize and work at Mt. Rushmore prompted Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear to start writing to the sculptor, appealing to him to create a memorial to American Indians." "His life spanned the Battle of Little Big Horn, the Wounded Knee Massacre and the Indian Reorganization Act." "During World War II he volunteered for service, landed on Omaha Beach and was later wounded. Post war, he was invited to make government war memorials in Europe, but he accepted Chief Standing Bear's invitation and dedicated the rest of his life to the Crazy Horse Memorial." "By carving Crazy Horse, if I can give back to the Indian some of his pride and create a means to keep alive his culture and heritage, my life will have been worthwhile." Korczak arrived in the Black Hills on May 3, 1947. He worked on the project until his death on October 20, 1982, at age 74. During his nearly 36 years of working on the Mountain, he refused to take any salary at Crazy Horse Memorial®. He is laid to rest in the tomb that he and his sons blasted from a rock outcropping at the base of the mountain. He wrote his own epitaph for the tomb door and cut the letters from steel plate. It reads: KORCZAK Storyteller in Stone ‐May His Remains Be Left Unknown" "Korczak, almost 40, knew that he had willingly dedicated his life to keeping his promise to the American Indian people. However, he did not know until later that he would marry Ruth Ross and they would have 10 children. This turn of events made him both happy and proud, and Crazy Horse became a family story." Related acuri.net photo program‐‐Crazy Horse: The Man

Sources: Tour of site, https://crazyhorsememorial.org/, https://crazyhorsememorial.org/story/the‐history/chief‐henry‐standing‐bear/, https://www.aaanativearts.com/sioux/henry‐standing‐bear.htm, http://www.poles.org/DB/Z_names/Ziolkowski_K/Ziolkowski_K.html, https://culture.pl/en/article/crazy‐horse‐how‐korczak‐ziolkowski‐began‐the‐worlds‐biggest‐sculpture, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korczak_Ziolkowski, https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/22/obituaries/korczak‐ziolkowski‐sculptor‐who‐portrayed‐crazy‐horse.html, https://blackhillsvisitor.com/learn/korcazk‐ziolkowski‐1908‐1982/2/, https://www.southdakotamagazine.com/ruth‐ziolkowski, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Ziolkowski, and http://mentalfloss.com/article/553397/facts‐about‐crazy‐horse. acuri.net John R. Vincenti Crazy Horse: The Memorial