[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 51 (Wednesday, April 2, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S2362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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      SENATE RESOLUTION 496--HONORING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
        COMMENCEMENT OF THE CARVING OF THE CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL

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

                              S. Res. 496

       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.

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