About this episode

Anita interviews Matthew Davis about the dark history of Mount Rushmore and its implications regarding indigenous rights and American identity.

What is the dark past of Mount Rushmore, America’s most famous national  Monument? How did a sacred indigenous site become a colossal shrine to the American empire? What ties did sculptor Gutzon Borglum have to the Ku Klux Klan?   Anita speaks with Matthew Davis, author of A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore, to reveal the sinister past of the beloved American landmark. They discuss the Native American wars, illegal seizure of sacred land, and the contested meaning of the iconic national memorial. Try Attio for free at attio.com/empire Summer sale is here: get an annual Empire Club membership for an extra 20% off with code SUMMER26. That's ad-free listening, early-access, every bonus episode, and full access to our exclusive members' series. Sale ends August 31st, so grab it before summer's over. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Editor: Bruno Di Castri Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…

People in this episode

Host: Anita

Guest: Matthew Davis

Topics covered

• Mount Rushmore
• indigenous history
• American empire
• sacred land
• Ku Klux Klan
• Native American wars

Keywords

• Mount Rushmore
• Gutzon Borglum
• Ku Klux Klan
• Native American wars
• sacred land
• American empire

Sponsors

Attio

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ku Klux Klan, Goalhanger

Books & works: A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore

Places: Mount Rushmore, America

More episodes of Empire: World History

• 379. Algerian Revolution: Black Panthers, LSD, & Nina Simone (Ep 5) · July 19, 2026 · 47 min
• 378. Algerian Revolution: Birth of Independence (Ep 4) · July 15, 2026 · 31 min
• 377. Algerian Revolution: The Battle of Algiers (Ep 3) · July 12, 2026 · 38 min
• 376. Algerian Revolution: Repression and Rebellion (Ep 2) · July 8, 2026 · 44 min
• 375. Algerian Revolution: The French Invasion (Ep 1) · July 5, 2026 · 42 min
• 374. Ken Burns on the American Revolution and Empire · July 4, 2026 · 36 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Empire: World History podcast page.