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http://www.lakotacountrytimes.com/news/2010-02-02/Front_Page/Disharmony_On_The_Road_To_Reconciliation.html

'''Disharmony On The Road To Reconciliation '''Lynn Hart: The Man behind Native American Day and the Road to Reconciliation By Roseanna Renaud Lakota Times Correspondent

“Seven individuals from across the country were singled out for their significant contributions from Coretta Scott King Chair woman of the King center in Atlanta Ga” “Mr. Lynn Hart for personally living the dream Dr. King so fervently spoke of and for his persistent and dedicated work in the passage of two separate South Dakota holiday bills honoring Dr. King and the contributions of the Native American / American Indian community” “Mr. Pete Catches, Sr. for his dedication to the principles and precepts espoused by Dr. King, for his contributions to the development of the Federal Holiday Commission’s Native American/American Indian Involvement Committee, and for his work toward increasing the understanding of Dr. King’s work among his people and helping others to understand the contributions of the Native Americans/American Indians to the United States.” (1992 Making of the King Holiday Award Luncheon) In 1990, twenty nine year old Lynn ”Smokey” Hart, a Yankton Sioux Tribe mem ber, borrowed money from a friend and braved an intense snow storm to reach the State Capitol in time to tes tify before the State Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. South Dakota was one of a handful of states that had not yet recognized Martin Luther King’s birthday as a na tional holiday, and a group of legislators, including Patrick Kane and Rex Hagg, invited him to speak. Representative Jerry Lammers, who was initially against passage, credited Mr. Hart for his change of mind. What I think struck me more than anything, he was so sincere. The impression was a lasting one, be cause in 1992 House Commemoration Number 1005, introduced by Representatives Lammers and Larry Gabriel, honored Hart for his involvement. Lynn Hart demonstrates that hard work by an individual can make a difference in the legislative system. His voice punctuated by emotion and some tears, Hart spoke for forty five minutes. He told his audi ence that “South Dakota was created by people of color, Indians, Blacks and Chinese and you’ve got to give credit where credit is due. We need to recognize the Martin Luther King Holiday, because it’s not a black holiday. It’s a people’s holiday.” The Legislature took its cue from Hart in drafting the measures that would forever change the face of prairie politics. Mr. Hart returned to Rapid City in his pick up truck to learn of his success in newspaper headlines. Mr. Hart considers him self Blindian, Yankton Sioux and Black. A Water town family adopted him at age twelve from a foster home. When Mr. Hart, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, stood before the Commit tee twenty years ago, he testified that visitors might see the absence of an MLK Day as a barrier and label his beloved home state as racist. He also spoke of the mistreatment of Indians and that it hurt his heart to hear South Dakota being re ferred to as the “Mississippi of the North.” Although the first motion failed, it passed the next day with Governor Mickelson support ing the measure and pledging to make 1990 the Year of Reconciliation. Lynn Hart’s impassioned plea had altered at titudes. His powerful testimony launched two holidays and opened new dialogue between Indians and non In dians in the State of South Dakota. Governor Mickelson told Hart it was because “we have been strangers for too long." The legislature subsequently passed two bills, one to establish Native Americans Day on the second Monday in Octo ber, replacing Columbus Day, dedicated to the remembrance of the great Native American leaders who contributed so much to the history of our state. The other recognized Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, dedicated to the remem brance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and to the observance and appreciation of the various ethnic minorities who have contributed so much to the state and nation. Representative Jerry Lammers, who was initially against passage, credited Mr. Hart for his change of mind. “What I think struck me more than any thing was he was so sincere.” The impression was a last ing one, because in 1992 House Com memoration Number 1005, introduced by Representatives Lammers and Larry Gabriel, honored Hart for his involve ment. Lynn Hart demonstrates that hard work by an individual can make a difference in the legislative system. In January of 1992, Stevie Wonder, Coretta Scott King, and Con gressman Ralph Regula (R Ohio) presented Mr. Hart with the Making of King Holiday award in Washington, D.C., on behalf of the Martin Luther King Federal Holi day Commission. One of Mr. Hart’s mentors, Oglala Lakota holy man Pete Catches also re ceived the award. “It is the highest award we give to people who really work to make a difference,” said com mission spokesman Alan Minton. “Lynn has gone about doing things he thought were right. We couldn’t ac complish the things we did in his area of the country without his assistance.” However, credit for these great things are skewed because of Native Sun News Publisher Tim Giago claiming credit for them. For years, the late Harold Iron Shield of Standing Rock also cam paigned widely among tribal leaders and legislators and coined the phrase “Year of Reconciliation.” But Mr. Giago has consistently claimed that it was his column and a subsequent meeting with Governor Mickelson that brought about the changes in Pierre two decades ago. In a 2007 article Native American Day Came without a Shot Fired, Mr. Giago wrote, “I saw this as an opportunity to extend that message in a column I wrote directed at then Governor George Mickelson (R SD). I challenged him to use this commemoration to not only proclaim 1990 as a Year of Reconcilia tion between Indians and whites, but to also use it as a time to set aside Colum bus Day and to rename that day Native American Day. My editorial also asked the governor to honor Martin Luther King Jr. by making his birthday a state holiday. Gov. Mickelson accepted my challenge in a letter to my newspaper, The Lakota Times.” In his column, Giago further claimed, “Lynn Hart, a Lakota/African Ameri can, read my editorial on the floor of the South Dakota Legislature.” However, Mr. Hart disagrees, “Tim Giago was not there in Pierre that day. The only per son that was there was me and I’m the only person who signed the document. It offends me that he is running around taking credit for something that I phys ically did. Tim Giago did not speak and I did not read any arti cle by Tim Giago Pierre that day,” said Hart. “I don’t know what his angle is in trying take credit for Reconciliation because I never saw him in the Governor’s office when George Mickelson told me we are not only going to have a Martin Luther King Holiday but a Year of Reconciliation.” In a recent NSN edition, Mr. Giago announced the formation of a Unity Committee to promote 2010 as the Year of Unity, a move that did not include an invitation to Mr. Hart. In his January 12th State of the State Address, Governor Mike Rounds pledged “to commemorate and build on the reconciliation efforts started by Governor Mickelson 20 years ago.” He added that “tribal leaders, private individuals, and my staff are working to gether to develop a plan to commemorate that effort in 2010 with a new year of focus on racial and cul tural unity.” A January 25th press release from the Governor’s office announced a February 19th kick off event, which will be held at noon in the Capitol Rotunda. The 2010 Year of Unity will build upon the legacy and work of those leaders who moved the state forward in the Year of Reconcilia tion, the Governor said. Dignitaries and leaders of the state’s nine tribes, as well as community and state officials have been invited to the Capitol for the Feb. 19th ceremony. Mr. Hart, who did not receive an official invitation to the event, feels that Governor Rounds failed to keep his promise to meet at the round table with all the tribal leaders. “He has yet to do that. This doesn’t make sense why he’s doing this. There are a lot of Indians that don’t like the idea of this going on because it is too little, too late.” Lynn Hart, forever comfortable in a cowboy hat, has worked as a ranch hand, stunt man, rodeo bull rider, bull fighter clown with the PRCA, and rode with the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo for ten years. For two years beginning in 2004, he was a re enactor with the Na tional Lewis and Clark Expedition, por traying York, Captain Clark’s slave on the expedition. Ever the agent for social change, he is currently involved in sev eral projects, as a public speaker pro moting “Education Creates Reconciliation,” and an Indian Highway Safety campaign to increase the use of safety belts. He is also waging war against Cancer in Indian Country’s biggest problem with his Pink Feather Ribbons. Living life one day at a time trying not to Judge or be Judged.