White House renames Mount McKinley as Denali

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

The Obama administration will change the name of North America’s tallest mountain peak from Mount McKinley to Denali, the White House said Sunday, a major symbolic gesture to Alaska Natives on the eve of President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Alaska.

By renaming the peak Denali, an Athabascan word meaning “the high one,” Obama waded into a sensitive and decades-old conflict between residents of Alaska and Ohio. Alaskans have informally called the mountain Denali for years, but the federal government recognizes its name invoking the 25th president, William McKinley, who was born in Ohio and assassinated in his second term.

“With our own sense of reverence for this place, we are officially renaming the mountain Denali in recognition of the traditions of Alaska Natives and the strong support of the people of Alaska,” said Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.

The announcement came as Obama prepared to open a three-day visit to Alaska aimed at infusing fresh urgency into his call to action on climate change.

But Obama’s visit also is geared toward displaying solidarity with Alaska Natives, who face immense economic challenges and have warned of insufficient help from the federal government.

It was unclear whether Ohio would mount an effort to block the name change. There was no immediate response to inquiries seeking comment from Republican Rep. Bob Gibbs, House Speaker John Boehner and other Ohio lawmakers.