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Lakota Nation Invitational debates location after racial incident






Spectators at the Lakota Nation Invitational. Photo from Facebook

The popular Lakota Nation Invitational attract thousands to Rapid City, South Dakota, every year but organizers are considering whether to move the event following a racial incident involving Indian children.

Bryan Brewer, a former president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, founded the LNI in 1977. He's unhappy that the Rapid City Police Department has yet to bring charges against the people who yelled racial slurs and poured beer on children from a school on his reservation.

“My first reaction is we should not run out town, but attempt to educate people about racism,” Brewer told Native News Online. “But, at this point we need to keep our options open. I am getting a lot of pressure to move LNI out of Rapid City.”

The event injects $5 million to $6 million into the city's economy every December. It's held at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, the venue where the children were victimized.

Get the Story:
In Wake of Rapid City Racism, Lakota Nation Invitational Looking at Options (Native News Online 2/10)
Church welcomes participants to forum on race relations (KEVN 2/9)

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