Yellowstone National Park is still one of the most popular national parks in the United States. However, after people protested, a mountain near the park has been rechristened. Mount Doane was originally named after a US Army officer who oversaw the slaughter of hundreds of innocent Native Americans in 1870. The new name will recognize that First Peoples Mountain, which now includes land formerly known as Yellowstone National Park, was used by Native American tribes for millennia.
According to an announcement from the National Park Service, the recent name change for the 10,551-foot mountain came after a unanimous decision by U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The man whom the mountain was named after led a deadly attack against innocent members of the Piegan Blackfeet tribe in Montana back in 1870, a massacre that left hundreds dead and occurred shortly after slaves were freed post-Civil War.
Doane was later seen with a rifle in tow, telling his fellow soldiers about how he had overseen the massacre of the Native Americans and referred to it as the Marias Massacre.
Native Americans rejoice that the mountain has been given a name more befitting of its natural beauty, rather than one which brings to mind a horrific individual.
The Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association, which is made up of sixteen Native American tribes from Nebraska and the Dakotas, has been urging that the mountain be renamed since 2018.
“We’re not against certain names,” said in 2018, William Snell, Leaders Council executive director of the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council. “But we’re not for names where individuals have been involved with genocide, where elders and children have been killed, and there have been some traumatic events in our history that don’t meet standards of honor.”
After four years of anticipation, they finally got their wish.
“This name change is long overdue. We all agreed on “First Peoples’ Mountain” as an appropriate name to honor the victims of such inhumane acts of genocide and to also remind people of the 10,000-year-plus connection tribal peoples have to this sacred place now called Yellowstone,” Piikani Nation Chief Stan Grier stated.
Doane not only led the massacre of innocent Native Americans but also women and children- some of whom were suffering from smallpox. In total, after the white fur trader was found dead, Doane and his team killed 173 American Indians.
Doane was not held accountable for his actions by the federal government.
The United States has renamed many things in an attempt to rid the nation’s history of genocide and violence against Native Americans. The new name will pay tribute to the people who lived here long before it was turned into a national park.
The new name for the mountain, First Peoples Mountain, is more accurate and will serve as a reminder of the terrible crimes committed against Native Americans. It’s crucial that we remember our history so that we can avoid repeating past mistakes. Do you think the change was appropriate? Please let me know your thoughts on this important issue.
