Bust of Chief Henry Standing Bear
Artifact IDMO 63.1550.1
Object Type
Bust
Date
1940
Date Presented8/17/62
Gifter
Korczak Ziolkowski
Artist
Korczak Ziolkowski
(American, 1908-1982)
Place MadeSouth Dakota, United States, North America
Medium
Mahogany
DimensionsOverall H 27 in x W 19 in x D 12 in (68.6 cm x 48.3 cm x 30.5 cm)
Physical DescriptionHeroic sized bust of Chief Standing Bear. The carving is a realistic rendering of the Lakota Sioux chief, with his hair sweeping across the right side of his face and wearing one feather at the back of his head.
Historical NoteThis bust of Brule Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear (ca. 1874-1953) by American sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski was presented to President Kennedy at the dedication of the Oahe Dam on the banks of the Missouri River in Pierre, South Dakota on August 17, 1962. Almost three decades earlier, Chief Standing Bear had conceived the idea of creating a carved memorial to Chief Crazy Horse on a mountainside in the Black HIlls of South Dakota. In 1947, Ziolkowski was selected by Standing Bear to create the sculpture on a scale similar to that of Mount Rushmore. Standing Bear was quoted as saying, “My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know that the red man had great heroes also.”
Additional DetailsCustodial History NoteItem was a gift from a member of the general public to the President and Mrs. Kennedy received by the Executive Office of the President betwen 1961-1963 and held by the General Service Administration until it was donated to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum by the Estate of President John F. Kennedy in 1965.
Credit LineGift of the Estate of President John F. Kennedy; John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston, MA
National Archives Catalog CollectionJohn F. Kennedy Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 1676934)
National Archives Catalog SeriesKennedy Administration Collection 1960-1963 (National Archives Identifier 1676959)
Use Restriction StatusRestricted - PossiblyUse Restriction NoteCopyright and other proprietary rights may be held by individuals or entities other than the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum does not warrant that the use of these materials will notinfringe on the rights of third parties holding the rights to these works, or make any representations or warranties with respect to the application or terms of any international agreement, treaty, or protections that may apply. It is the user’sresponsibility to determine and satisfy any copyright or other use restrictions.In Collection(s)
Not on view
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