Around the Web – Negro Names in Black Hills to be replaced – Native News Network

The “Negro” names in the Black Hills are on their way out.

Five Black Hills geographic features with offensive names will be renamed by the state, and officials are asking for the public’s help to come up with more appropriate monikers.

The South Dakota Board on Geographic Names opened a 45 day public comment period Friday to change the names of “Negro Wool Ridge” and “Negro Canyon” near Wind Cave in Custer County.

The board also wants to scrub the names of “Negro Hill” and “Negro Gulch” near Tinton in Lawrence County and “Negro Creek” near Medicine Mountain in Pennington County.

June Hansen, a geographic names board member, said the features were named during a time period inhabited by early African American settlers.

She said they are among the last in the state to be reviewed. Last week, several geographic features on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with names like “Squaw Humper” were renamed with Lakota names to get rid of the offensive labels.

via Around the Web – Negro Names in Black Hills to be replaced – Native News Network.