Local Artist's Design Picked For National Native American Veterans Memorial

A Guthrie artist was chosen this week to design the country's first Native American Veteran's Memorial.

Harvey Pratt beat out hundreds to design the memorial which will sit on the National Mall at the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indiana. Pratt is a Cheyenne chief, Vietnam War veteran and well-known artist, but says he wasn’t sure his design would be chosen.               

“I made a couple of designs, they looked pretty good. They were just on yellow lined paper,” Pratt said.

Over the past several months, with help from his family and local architects, Pratt’s designs evolved. The concept features circles, fire and water.

“We’re concerned about the circle of life and the seasons and the sun and the moon and everything that evolves around the circle. The life cycles,” Pratt said,

Pratt's own life cycle continues to evolve. His many pieces includes forensic art for the OSBI, where he was also an agent for many years.

Now his work will stretch far beyond Oklahoma.               

“It will be a place you can come into and pray and make an offering and make vows,” Pratt said.

Pratt says being a veteran and being a Native American often go hand in hand.

“Native people respect this America, and this country and this flag,” Pratt said.