[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 496 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 496

Honoring the 60th anniversary of the commencement of the carving of the 
                         Crazy Horse Memorial.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 2, 2008

    Mr. Thune (for himself and Mr. Johnson) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

                              May 20, 2008

             Committee discharged; considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Honoring the 60th anniversary of the commencement of the carving of the 
                         Crazy Horse Memorial.

Whereas sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, who never received any formal art training 
        but nonetheless won 1st place for sculpture at the New York World's Fair 
        in 1939, came to the Black Hills of South Dakota as an assistant to 
        Gutzon Borglum to help carve Mount Rushmore;
Whereas Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear contacted Korczak Ziolkowski in 1939 to 
        encourage him to create another mountain memorial, saying in his letter 
        of invitation: ``My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know 
        the red man has great heroes, too'';
Whereas Crazy Horse was remembered by his people as a fierce warrior and 
        visionary leader who was committed to preserving the traditional Lakota 
        way of life;
Whereas Korczak Ziolkowski was inspired to honor the culture, tradition, and 
        living heritage of North American Indians, and thus designed a 
        metaphoric tribute to the spirit of Crazy Horse and his people;
Whereas Korczak Ziolkowski was dedicated as well to helping his country preserve 
        freedom, enlisted in the Army, and was wounded in 1944 at Omaha Beach;
Whereas Korczak Ziolkowski returned to South Dakota after World War II in order 
        to find a suitable mountain to carve in order to honor Crazy Horse and 
        his people;
Whereas Korczak Ziolkowski and Chief Standing Bear dedicated the Crazy Horse 
        Memorial on June 3, 1948;
Whereas Korczak Ziolkowski worked until his death in 1982, and his wife, Ruth, 
        and their family have dedicated their lives to carving the mountain and 
        continuing the mission of the Crazy Horse Memorial;
Whereas there is no way to predict when the mountain carving will be completed, 
        owing to the uncertainty of weather, the availability of private 
        funding, and the challenges of mountain engineering;
Whereas, when completed, the Crazy Horse mountain carving will be the largest 
        carving in the world, at 641 feet long by 563 feet high;
Whereas Korczak Ziolkowski's parting words to his wife were, ``You must work on 
        the mountain--but go slowly so you do it right'';
Whereas the Ziolkowski family and the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation have 
        continued to do it right, have proceeded without government financial 
        support, and remain dedicated to making steady progress on the 
        Memorial's humanitarian goals; and
Whereas the Crazy Horse Memorial will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the 
        dedication of the mountain carving on June 3, 2008: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the Senate, on the 60th anniversary of the 
commencement of the mountain carving of the Crazy Horse Memorial, 
honors sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, the Ziolkowski family, and the 
Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation for their dedication to honoring the 
culture, tradition, and living heritage of North American Indians and 
the spirit of Crazy Horse and his people.
                                 <all>