Label Type
Cultural/Historical ContextLabel
Paul Owns the Sabre (Miniconjou Lakota) grew up on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota and later moved to San Francisco. In 1978 he participated in the Longest Walk, a five-month journey from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. supporting indigenous land and water rights and protesting Congress’ moves to abrogate treaty rights. After the Walk, he took part in several other sacred long distance runs and walks in support of indigenous peoples.
The text commemorates the 1984 Jim Thorpe Longest Run. Prior to that summer’s Olympic Games, over 250 indigenous runners ran from New York to Los Angeles in honor of Native American Olympian Thorpe.