The sesquicentennial of the Battle of the Greasy Grass has renewed national attention on the Lakota's longstanding refusal to accept financial compensation for the Black Hills — sacred Paha Sapa.
In 1980, the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians that the U.S. had acquired the Black Hills through "unfair and dishonorable dealing." The court awarded $17.1 million plus interest. The Lakota have consistently refused to accept the money, which now sits in a Bureau of Indian Affairs account valued at over $1.5 billion.
The tribal consensus remains firm: "The Black Hills are not for sale." The nations demand the return of the land itself, emphasizing that no amount of financial compensation can replace the spiritual and cultural heart of their people.
The 150th anniversary events are expected to include discussions about the Land Back movement and the ongoing legal and political efforts to return federal lands to tribal stewardship.