For over 200 years Sakakawea has fascinated the American public, becoming a symbol variously for women’s suffrage, manifest destiny, and most recently American Indian cultural inclusivity. She is a blend of legend and mythology balanced on a narrow foundation of historical fact.
More than 100 years ago, the North Dakota Federation of Women’s Clubs decided to recognize Sakakawea by erecting a statue in her honor on the North Dakota Capitol grounds. In 2003 a replica of this statue was placed in the National Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol, in Washington D.C. as part of ND’s commemoration of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial.
This online exhibit explores the history of both Sakakawea and the statues she inspired.
Click the themes listed below to learn more.