President Barack Obama is set to visit Alaska on Monday to officially rename Mt. McKinley to Denali. The Alaskan natives have been fighting for its name for 40 years, referring North America's tallest mountain as Denali, which locally means "the High One".
Reuters reports President Obama has finally taken the side of the state to rename the 20,000-feet mountain as what the natives have originally been calling it. The country's highest peak was named after the 25th U.S. President William McKinley in 1896, when a gold prospector who was exploring Alaska learned the Ohioan president's Republican victory.
It was until 1975 when the state of Alaska officially named the mountain to Denali. Since then, it has been their on-going battle for the Federal government to implement the bill. This proposal had been continuously blocked by officials from Ohio, enforcing the name of the mountain as tribute to McKinley's legacy after serving the country from 1897 up to his 1901 assassination.
Through the help of Interior Secretary Sally Jewel's legal authority, President Obama has finally ended the long debate on this historic issue.
"I'd like to thank the president for working with us to achieve this significant change to show honor, respect, and gratitude to the Athabascan people of Alaska," said Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who had been pushing to rename the mountain to Denali in the congress.
Former administration critic and Alaska Governor Bill Walker also expressed his gratitude towards Obama's move.
Ohio Senator Rob Portman, however, spoke about his disappointment saying this is "yet another example of the president going around Congress." According to Portman, the White House should immediately find another way to pay tribute to McKinley at Denali National Park.
Obama's three-day Alaska trip is part of his climate change project which he aims to complete in his remaining 16 months as the U.S. president.