Commissioned by Chief Henry Standing Bear, the Crazy Horse Memorial was built to let the world know that “the Red Man has great heroes also”. The mission of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation has been to protect and preserve the culture, tradition and living heritage of the North American Indians. These values were the driving force behind Standing Bear’s colossal dream.
Standing Bear and Ziolkowski
Chief Henry Standing Bear was an eloquent man that valued the power of knowledge and education. He knew the only way to preserve the culture and heritage of his people was to teach others their importance. Standing Bear wrote Korczak Ziolkowski inviting him to be the sculptor of his vision. Standing Bear stressed the significance of passing along these values to all who visited Crazy Horse. Ziolkowski accepted Standing Bear’s invitation and agreed it should be educational. Ziolkowski wanted Crazy Horse to be more than just a giant monument just as Standing Bear did.
Although neither Standing Bear or Korczak Ziolkowski lived to see its completion, the project has been passed down to a committed team. The Ziolkowski family, Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation Board of Directors, and dedicated staff strive to uphold the mission laid out since the beginning.
Crazy Horse Memorial
Located in the beautiful Black Hills, this giant mountain carving is more than it appears to be. The grounds consist of the studio-home of the sculptor, the Indian Museum of North America, the Native American Educational and Cultural Center, the Mountain Carving Room, a restaurant, and gift shop. In addition, there is a 1/34th scaled plaster model of what the memorial will look like upon completion. Upon completion, Crazy Horse will stand at a staggering 563-feet making it even larger than Mount Rushmore.
Funding the Project
Visitors or passerby’s may notice that the carving is incomplete. Unlike Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse is has no government backing and is funded solely by private donations and admissions. Become a storyteller and donate to the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation.
