A statue featuring Father Louis Hennepin was among two vandalized Nov. 26, Thanksgiving, according to the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board.
The granite sculpture “Pioneers” by John Karl Daniels was dedicated in Minneapolis in 1936 after its donation to the city by the Pillsbury family. The statue, which features a three-generation pioneer family, also includes a relief showing an American Indian chief offering a peace pipe to Father Louis Hennepin, a 17-century Franciscan missionary and explorer who lived several months with the Sioux in Minnesota.
Located in B.F. Nelson Park, the statue was splashed with red paint and the words “no thanks,” “no more genocide,” “land back” and “kill colonizers” spray-painted on it.
On the same day, a bronze statue of George Washington in Minneapolis’ Washburn Fair Oaks Park was toppled and splashed with paint.
In recent months, statues of prominent historical figures have been vandalized across the country. According to a statement from the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, it “has heard concerns from community members about the content and subject matter of the Pioneers statue. The MPRB is working together with the community to address and respond using a racial equity lens to determine next steps.”
