Here’s why Obama renamed Mount McKinley

Re-examing longstanding traditions

President Obama’s reasoning to change the name of the peak to “Denali” stems from the mountain’s historic Native American title. In returning Mt. McKinley to its native title, Obama insists he is trying to undo what he sees as historical injustices. Unfortunately, the name change highlights how honoring the traditions and sacrifices of one group can come at the expense of another group.

To some, changing the name of the peak is the latest example of our nation’s longstanding traditions coming under fire. 

This summer, a debate over the Confederate Battle Flag brewed after Dylann Roof, a suspected white supremacist, killed African-American churchgoers attending a bible study in Charleston, South Carolina. In the wake of the massacre, the Confederate Battle Flag was removed from South Carolina’s state Capitol grounds. As well, major retailers made the decision to pull Confederate flag-related merchandise from their inventories. 

More over, several Democratic groups have recently chosen to drop “Jefferson-Jackson” from the name of their annual dinner party. The decision to remove their surnames from the dinner party title is because both Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson were slave owners.

Legacy of President William McKinley

The peak has stood as Mount McKinley since 1896. As such, the battle over changing the peak’s name isn’t anything new between Ohioans and Alaskans.

Alaska’s political leaders have long pushed for the change to re-name the mountain “Denali,” after its local name. 

Ohioans, on the other hand, have continuously fought the name change. Lawmakers in Ohio want the legacy of former President William McKinley to be preserved. They insist that removing McKinley’s name from the mountain is an insult to such an instrumental Ohio politician.

Information for this report was provided by CNN.

Contact Caitlin Lilly at clilly@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @caitiesmith