The 28th annual Fort Robinson Outbreak Spiritual Run takes place January 8-14, 2024. An estimate 100 Northern Cheyenne youth, ages 10 to young adult, participate in the 400-mile run, enduring many of the obstacles and hardships their ancestors had faced during their January exodus some 140 years prior. Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation CEO, Whitney A. Rencountre II exclaims, “We are honored to host the Northern Cheyenne Youth Runners during the Annual Fort Robinson Run each year at Crazy Horse Memorial®. Encouraging the Youth Runners is at the heart of Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation’s mission.”
The run, created by Yellow Bird Life Ways Center co-founders Phillip Whiteman, Jr. (Northern Cheyenne) and Lynette Two Bulls (Oglala Lakota), began to honor those that lost their lives in the Fort Robinson Massacre. “I wanted to come and run to see if it was possible, to finish the last leg (for) those that were slaughtered here. From Crawford, NE to Busby, MT, 400 miles” says Yellow Bird Co-Founder, Phillip Whiteman, Jr. “This run is a way to heal.”
In late fall of 1878, the US Army captured 149 of over 353 Northern Cheyenne who had fled their reservation due to disease and poor conditions, hoping to be reunited with their tribes and families residing in Montana. At first, the US Army provided food and medical care for the inadequately dressed and starving Cheyenne, but when the US Army changed commanders at Fort Robinson, pressure was increased to force the Cheyenne back to the southern reservations they had fled. They were eventually confined to barracks at Fort Robinson without food, water, or heat. Most of the captives escaped the night of January 9, 1879 and were hunted by the US Army, who recaptured around 70 and killed 64 of those who fled.
Dr. Henrietta Mann (Southern Cheyenne), Board of Directors, Seventh Generation Fund speaks fondly of what the Fort Robinson Run means to her and the youth who take on the challenge. “The fact that these 100+ students have decided to honor their ancestors by participating in this run, and reliving a part of their history which can be tragic, but which is also very helpful in that they have survived as a people. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, to proclaim to the world that we as Northern Cheyenne are here. We’re going to always be here.”
Crazy Horse Memorial® is grateful to host the youth participants at the complex. Their afternoon stop at the Memorial on January 11th gives them a chance to rest, warm up, recharge, and refuel with a meal provided by Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation before preparing for the January 12th leg of the run, Deadwood to the Montana state line.
For more information, please visit www.crazyhorsememorial.org and follow Crazy Horse Memorial on all social media and/or or contact Amanda Allcock at 605-673-4681 or email Amanda.Allcock@crazyhorse.org.
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