News
Grandstaff Canyon in Utah was formerly named with a slur. Learn more against this place’s journey to a new name here. (Photo Credit: Bureau of Land Management - Utah)
Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names Eliminated by Trump Administration
The Department of the Interior’s Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names (ACRPN) was eliminated by Trump’s Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, on Thursday. In an internal memorandum, Secretary Burgum wrote that the ACRPN -- along with five others that were also terminated Thursday -- “are unnecessary and have fulfilled the purposes for which they were established, and I accordingly terminate them to the maximum extent consistent with law.” The ACRPN was tasked with identifying derogatory place names and recommending a plan for their replacement. Thousands of racist and derogatory names remain on lands across the country.
Statement from the Coalition for Outdoor Renaming and Education on Denali Renaming
The Coalition for Outdoor Renaming and Education (CORE) is deeply concerned about the White House’s executive order (EO), Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness. Among other things, this EO mandated the renaming of Denali to Mt. McKinley and the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, actions that were officially implemented on 1/24. It undoes decades of progress toward making the outdoors more inclusive and welcoming for all people and instead returns to damaging, colonial naming practices that attempt to silence the deep connections to the land of Indigenous people and communities of color. Recognizing the diverse histories of this country’s landscapes is crucial for an outdoors that truly honors American greatness.
Sharing our new logo!
The Coalition for Outdoor Renaming and Education (CORE) is excited to share our new logo and the story of its design process! Over the last few months, the CORE Steering Committee has been working with Eastern Cherokee artist Luke Swimmer to create a logo that represents our organization’s work to educate, empower, heal, and engage communities in renaming work.
Reflecting on CORE’s place names wins in 2024
As the year comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on and celebrate everything we’ve accomplished in 2024. This year has been filled with challenges, growth, and incredible victories towards advancing equity and inclusion in the outdoors through renaming.
California to remove slur against Indigenous women from more than 30 street, building, and other place names
California is removing a slur against Indigenous women from its lands, streets, buildings, and other place names. Replacement names have been selected in consultation with Tribal Nations from across California, and are set to go into effect January 1, 2025.
CORE Steering Committee Leader Kimberly Smith Appointed to the Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names
Kimberly Smith (Eastern Band of Cherokee), a CORE Steering Committee leader, was appointed by Secretary Deb Haaland to serve on the Department of the Interior’s Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names.
Coalition for Outdoor Renaming & Education Celebrates the Renaming of Kuwohi
The Coalition for Outdoor Renaming and Education (CORE) is proud to celebrate the return of the name Kuwohi to the highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a place previously known for over 165 years as Clingmans Dome. On September 18, the U.S. The United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) unanimously approved this restoration, recognizing the mountain’s Ancestral Cherokee name and cultural importance.