The existence of NAGPRA changes the legal landscape in ways that did not exist in 1877 or in the subsequent decades when the protective secrecy was established.

It means that if the burial site were found, there would be a legal framework for ensuring that the remains are handled appropriately rather than collected, displayed, or studied without community consent.

Whether this changes the calculation about disclosing the burial location is a question for the Oglala Lakota community and Crazy Horse’s descendants to answer.

The 1877 World And Why His Death Was Felt Across The Lakota Nation

When Crazy Horse died in September 1877, the impact within the Lakota community was profound and multifaceted.