Mayor, Council President Participating In Native American Day Memorial Walk

MAYOR, COUNCIL PRESIDENT PARTICIPATING

IN NATIVE AMERICAN DAY EVENTS

Presenting proclamation at Monday's Memorial Walk

RAPID CITY, SD--City officials will be participating in Monday's Native American Day activities to honor the children who died while attending the Rapid City Indian Boarding School.

            The Memorial Walk will begin at 10 a.m. Monday, starting at the Sioux Park Flower Garden area and proceeding to the field behind the Canyon Lake Methodist Church and West Middle School.  A groundbreaking ceremony for the future Remembering The Children Memorial will take place at 11:30 a.m.

            Mayor Steve Allender will join various speakers and guests, presenting a proclamation declaring Monday as The Day of the Grandmothers Unci Tha-anpetu.  Council President Laura Armstrong will also be participating in the walk and groundbreaking ceremonies.

            The Memorial is planned near the location of unmarked graves of children who died at the Rapid City Indian Boarding School, which operated from 1898-1933. For more information about Remembering The Children and Monday's activities, visit rememberingthechildren.org .

            In the proclamation, Mayor Allender indicates the existence of the Indian Boarding School in Rapid City is "a difficult piece of history to address, especially considering the children were the ones who ultimately suffered from its existence".

            The proclamation reads in part:

            "Although difficult, it is our responsibility, and obligation in memory of these children, to continue addressing the controversial decisions made in our community's past, which continue to trouble our present; and while we are unable to change the past, we are able to face the difficult truths head-on through honest dialogue and collaboration in an effort to forge a better tomorrow for all children in this community."

            The Remembering The Children website indicates the events are open to the public, will take place regardless of weather conditions and COVID precautions will be followed with attendees advised to wear masks and to observe social distancing, with hand sanitizer available at the Walk's start and finish.

(Mayor's Proclamation follows)

Executive Proclamation

Rapid City, South Dakota

Office of the Mayor

WHEREAS, On this Native American Day we gather together to honor all of the children who attended and who passed away at the Rapid City Indian Boarding School; and

WHEREAS, The existence of the Indian Boarding School in Rapid City is a difficult piece of history to address, especially considering the children were the ones who ultimately suffered from its existence; and

WHEREAS, Although difficult, it is our responsibility, and obligation in memory of these children, to continue addressing the controversial decisions made in our community’s past, which continue to trouble our present; and

WHEREAS, While we are unable to change the past, we are able to face the difficult truths head-on through honest dialogue and collaboration in an effort to forge a better tomorrow for all children in this community.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Steve Allender, Mayor of Rapid City, do hereby proclaim Monday, October 12, 2020, as

The Day of the Grandmothers

Unci Tha-anpetu

In Rapid City in honor of the grandmothers who have carried this piece of history and honored the memory of the children lost for generations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the seal of the City of Rapid City on this 12^th day of October, 2020.

__________________________________

Steve Allender, Mayor

Rapid City, South Dakota

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Thank you,

Darrell W. Shoemaker | Communications Coordinator

T: 605.721.6686 | M: 605.939.8551

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W: www.rcgov.org

 
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