Upon taking office, President Donald Trump swiftly initiated a series of executive orders aimed at celebrating American excellence and honoring those who have played pivotal roles in the country’s history.
One notable action he took was directing the reinstatement of the name Mount McKinley for North America’s highest mountain, a tribute to the 25th president, William McKinley. Trump also instructed the U.S. Interior Department to collaborate with Alaska Natives and others to establish names for additional landmarks that reflect their heritage and cultural significance.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names, a relatively obscure group comprising officials from various federal entities, is key to this endeavor. Established in 1890, this board was created to address the lack of uniformity in the naming of geographical landmarks as settlers and prospectors moved westward after the Civil War.
The need for consistency in landmark identification prompted President Benjamin Harrison to issue an executive order that established the board. Subsequently, President Theodore Roosevelt expanded its mandate in 1906 to standardize geographical names for federal use, which included changing existing names and assigning titles to unnamed features.
In a shift of responsibility, President Franklin Roosevelt disbanded the board in 1934, redistributing its functions to the Interior Department. However, following World War II, Congress decided to reform the board.
Under the Trump administration, this board welcomed new members while retaining representatives from various agencies, including the Departments of Interior and Commerce, the Post Office, and the Library of Congress, with even the CIA participating when examining international place names.
Members serve two-year appointments and convene monthly to discuss names on U.S. soil. The board recognizes the significance of geographical names, reflecting the nation’s history and evolving identity. Its principles emphasize that the names of places across the United States embody a narrative that incorporates Native American languages and terminology brought by early explorers.
For the Koyukon Athabaskans, the mountain has long been known as “deenaalee,” meaning “the high one,” predating the designation of Mount McKinley, which was assigned by a gold prospector in 1896. McKinley, who never visited Alaska, had his name affixed to the mountain after being nominated for the presidency. His ties to the area continued until Alaska sought to revert to the traditional name, although these efforts faced numerous challenges over the years.
In 2015, after extended advocacy from Alaska Natives and supporters, President Barack Obama formally recognized “Denali” for federal use. Valerie Grussing, executive director of the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, emphasized that such landmarks are integral to local cultural identity, hinting at the sacredness imparted by the land’s original inhabitants.
Name-change initiatives have led to tangible outcomes. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the board aimed to eradicate derogatory names referring to Japanese and Black individuals. Recently, Deb Haaland, the former U.S. Interior Secretary, spearheaded efforts to address discriminatory names at various sites nationwide.
One of the board’s significant resolutions occurred in 2023 when the name Mount Evans was changed to Mount Blue Sky in response to a request from the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. Prior efforts in Texas saw a multitude of places with offensive names renamed, and in 2008, Piestewa Peak was designated to honor Army Spc. Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman to die in military combat.
In Alaska, there is a renewed movement to have Denali recognized officially once again. The Interior Department has begun the process to update the name in the federal Geographic Names Information System, though only federal government maps will be bound to this decision; private mapping services like Google and Apple may still favor the name Denali.
Proposing a name change is feasible for any individual, governmental body, Native American tribe, or organization which can provide substantial justifications and evidence to support their request. Community backing, along with historical and genealogical society endorsements, are crucial elements in this process.
According to board policy, name changes should be embraced by the local population as well as federal and state entities, as well as tribal and local governments. While the board’s influence has grown, its governing principles remain steadfast, ensuring that derogatory names are dismissed and proposals involving living individuals or those who have passed away within the last five years are not considered.
Once approved, names are added to the official federal repository of geographical names, which contains upwards of 2.5 million records.
