The Smithsonian has selected a design for its National Native American Veterans Memorial to be built on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The artist is Harvey Pratt, a Native American veteran from Oklahoma, and his design is called “Warriors’ Circle of Honor.” It aims to engage all Americans in appreciating and learning about the tradition of Native American service. Listen to hear the artist’s reflections on the meaning of his design, how he hopes people will experience it, and why honoring veterans is an important part of his heritage.
Note: Since this story aired, the National Native American Veterans Memorial has opened.
Story Length: 5:12
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December 13, 2017
2:29
President Obama established the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah in 2016, which is sacred to Native Americans and dense with ancient artifacts. Now, President Trump has dramatically reduced the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Monuments. There is debate whether the vast amount of land protected under the federal government hurts or helps the communities that surround the monument, including local ranchers and Native Americans. Listen to learn how the park reductions will affect different groups and spark a legal battle.
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4:54
The state of Montana is adopting a new approach to maintaining and reviving Native American languages in the state. The state’s new policy, to partially fund native language immersion in public schools, is very different from previous efforts to get rid of Native American language and culture through government boarding schools. Listen to learn more about the policies of the past and present, and why Native Americans in Montana feel strongly about passing their language on to the next generation.
Read MoreNovember 9, 2014
3:20
The National Mall in Washington, D.C. has long honored the fallen of American war heroes, but what about those who survived but lost parts of themselves to war? The first memorial honoring disabled veterans opened Sunday, October 5, 2014 after twenty years of fundraising and advocacy by disabled veterans primarily from the Vietnam war. This public radio story brings you the voices of disabled veterans and analyzes the impact of war and the memorial that honors these veterans.
Read MoreJune 24, 2014
3:21
The last of World War II’s Navajo Code Talkers died at 93 years old. Americans collaborated with the Native American Navajo tribe to create a code that was unbreakable to Japanese forces during WWII. Listen to this story to learn why the Navajo fear their language may disappear.
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