During a recent rally in Phoenix, President-elect Donald Trump signaled his desire to change the name of North America’s tallest peak, located in Alaska, back to Mount McKinley, igniting a longstanding and sensitive debate regarding the mountain’s official title.
In 2015, former President Barack Obama officially renamed the mountain Denali, aligning with the preferences of many local Alaskan residents and honoring the cultural significance of the name to Alaska Natives. In recent years, the federal government has increasingly sought to rectify place-names deemed offensive to Indigenous peoples.
The term “Denali” comes from the Athabascan language, translating to “the high one” or “the great one.” The mountain was initially named Mount McKinley in 1896 by a prospector who chose to honor President William McKinley, who had never set foot in Alaska. This name remained the official designation until it was changed by Obama, despite resistance from legislators in Ohio, where McKinley was born.
Trump had previously floated the possibility of reverting the name back to McKinley in 2016 but backed down following objections from Alaska’s senators. However, he reignited this discussion during his recent rally, stating, “McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president. They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That’s what they do to people.”
His remarks quickly garnered backlash from Alaskans. Democratic state Senator Scott Kawasaki voiced his disagreement succinctly on social media, asserting, “Uh. Nope. It’s Denali.” Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who has long championed the push to officially recognize the name Denali, shared her sentiments as well, declaring, “There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali — the Great One.”
The mountain, which rises 20,310 feet (6,190 meters) above sea level, has been a significant cultural landmark for various tribes of Athabascan people for thousands of years. Meanwhile, William McKinley served as the 25th president of the United States; he was assassinated during his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York.
The state of Alaska and Ohio have been at odds over the mountain’s name since at least the 1970s. Alaska has been actively pursuing a name change since 1975, after the state legislature passed a resolution and former Governor Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government for the change.
Denali is renowned for its breathtaking vistas, adorned with glaciers and perpetually snow-covered peaks, with treacherous winds making it a formidable challenge for those daring enough to attempt the ascent.
