Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America, has been renamed Denali. Denali is a name that holds special significance to the native people of the region in Alaska. 

The mountain was named after the 25th United States president, William McKinley of Ohio. Alaskans have been fighting for the name change since the 1970s. 

The native people known as the Athabascans have called the mountain Denali for millennia. Politicians from Alaska started a renewed push to change the name earlier this year. 

According to the Telegraph, “Republican US Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan from Alaska have introduced a bill to change the name. Previous attempts have failed but they believe they have a better chance after Republicans gained a majority in the Senate last year.”

The name Denali to the Athabascan people means “The Great One.” 

CNN says that President Obama made the name change official during his trip to Alaska last week. His trip was meant to bring attention to environmental issues and climate change. In a show of reverence for the native people, he formally recognize the change of name. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11401092/Alaska-pushes-to-have-Mount-McKinley-renamed-Denali.html

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/30/politics/obama-alaska-denali-climate-change/