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| Watercolor and Ink, by Hannah Gray |
Crazy Horse is a man, a warrior, a hero, and a legend. He is an emblem of the West, and the embodiment of the Indian struggle against the white man. Today, Crazy Horse is one of the most prominent figures in the story of the American West, and one of the most revered heroes of Native people.
Crazy Horse was born in 1845 as a member of the Lakota Sioux in South Dakota. Those who knew him said he was exceptional in many aspects: he was brave, quiet, handsome, and mysterious. He was known as remarkably generous and big-hearted. As a young boy, Crazy Horse was raised according to the meticulous training and development tribal customs of the Sioux. As he grew, he quickly rose to prominence as an astounding warrior.
Crazy Horse entered adulthood at a time when the United States government was becoming an increasingly present threat to all Native Americans. In 1868, the US issued the Fort Laramie Treaty that promised the Lakota Indians their sacred land and various other rights. Despite this, the treaty was repeatedly violated, and war ensued. In the proceeding 10-year fight to protect Lakota lands, Crazy Horse became a principal war leader. He was a ferocious fighter and won nearly all his battles. In 1876, the U.S. War Department ordered all Lakota Indians to be torn from their homes and relocated to reservations. Crazy Horse became a leader of the resistance and defeated General Custer in the infamous Battle of Little Bighorn. After the victory, many Lakota Indians fled to Canada. Crazy Horse refused and stayed to fight; however, the constant military harassment combined with the rapidly decreasing buffalo population led him to surrender in 1877 and move onto the reservation. Later the same year, Crazy Horse left the reservation without authorization to take his sick wife to her family. U.S. officials quickly arrested him. As officers held his arms, a soldier stabbed him in the back without warning. Crazy Horse died at the age of 35.
To this day, Crazy Horse remains a hero. He was selfless, fearless, and willing to die for the rights of his people. He was unwavering in his attempts to preserve the Indian way of life. Many sources state that Crazy Horse never allowed himself to be photographed because he so strongly believed in protecting the culture and ways of traditional Indians. Crazy Horse died a young man, but he will live on in the hearts and minds of thousands of people as one of the greatest and purest symbols of the Indian spirit. This is Crazy Horse.
