Events+and+Leaders

Main events of the 1800’s
From: Iverson, Peter. "Navajo." //Encyclopedia Americana//. 2009. Grolier Online. 11 Apr. 2009 <[] ·   The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in 1848 o   Caused Mexico to give up parts of California, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming and Nevada (some of which was Navajo land( o   caused Americans to try to control the southwest and the Navajo lands ·    The Navajo people did not have a main political authority which made it hard to sign treaties with them ·    Navajo land invaded in 1863 led by Kit Carson due to    o     Navajo clashes with U.S. army o    Rumours of gold on Navajo land o    pressure from non native community to restrict the Navajo’s rights and land ·   By 1864 the majority of the Navajo had surrendered ·   Forced to go on the “Long Walk” to Fort Sumner, New Mexico o   Many died on the way ·    Were then imprisoned for four years until they signed treaty in 1868 ·   Then allowed back to a portion of their original land  ·   Back at their homeland were joined by thousands of Navajos who hid in surrounding area to escape imprisonment

From: Iverson, Peter. //The Navajos//. 1. New York City: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990.(pgs 63-63, 72-78) ·  Soil erosion cause by Navajo livestock was first reported in 1894 ·  John Collier(commissioner of Indian Affairs) had the idea to reduce livestock and crops to preserve soil in 1933 ·  Sheep were reduced from 570,000 to 358,000 o  Government used statistics to show the Livestock Reduction worked ·  Navajo had little input in decision and were angry at decision and methods of killing o  Collier promised to give back land to the Navajo in compensation for their livestock but broke his promise o  Paid very little in compensation for their animals o  Animals shot and left to rot in fields ·  After Livestock Reduction (as well as Great Depression) many Navajo stopped farming and ranching and tried to find work elsewhere ·  Livestock Reduction caused the Navajo to realize they needed their own independent and sturdy government to help them make decisions as a group
 * The Livestock Reduction **

From: "Code Talkers." //Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia//. 2009. Grolier Online. 2 May 2009 .[]. ·  Philip Johnson (who grew up on Navajo reservations) thought of using the unwritten Navajo language as code in 1942 ·     400 Navajo members of the U.S. Marine Corps created code for the American government based on Navajo language in WW2 ·  Used it to sent important combat information ·     Navajo code talkers used in all Marine Divisons o     First used in Battle For Guadalcanal in 1942 o     Was used in almost all Pacific land combat operations ·     Consisted of 411 terms which Code Talkers had to memorize ·  Was never decoded by Japanese (enemy) ·  Used again in Korean and Vietnam wars ·  Finally released to the public in 1968 ·     The 400 Navajo Code Talkers given certificates of appreciation in 1981 by Ronald Reagan and Congressional Gold Medals by George W. Bush in 2001
 * The Navajo Code Talkers in World War Two **

From: Charley, Corrina. "Navajo Leaders." //Indigenous Voices of the Colorado Plateau//. 2005. Cline Library. 3 May 2009 [] ·  Governed Monument valley/Navajo Mountain region ·  Led Navajo people who resisted U.S. attempts to capture them for the “Long Walk” ·  Hid in isolated area of Navajo Mountain for four years ·  His leadership caused group to thrive in area and evade capture
 * Important Navajo Leaders 1800-2000 **
 * Hoskininni (date unknown-1912) **

·  Father was a Navajo chief also ·  Appointed “official chief” of Navajos by Governor (of New Mexico) David Merryweather in 1855 ·  Signed Treaty of 1868 which allowed Navajo to return to their traditional ancestral land ·  Believe in European-American education to improve quality of life
 * Manuelito (1818-1893) **

·  Was forced to walk to Fort Sumner, New Mexico on “The Long Walk” at seven years old ·   Became head of Navajo Police Force and head chief in 1884 and ·  Was chosen in 1923 as first chairman of Navajo Tribal Council (government system that replaced chiefs) ·  Was tribal chairman until death in 1947
 * Henry Chee Dodge (1857-1947) **

·  Daughter of Henry Chee Dodge ·  Educated in boarding school and got degree in Public health ·  Was the first woman on the Navajo Tribal Council ·  Also worked as chairman of Tribal Council’s Health and Welfare Committee and member of the Surgeon General of the United States’ Advisory Committee on Indian Health ·  Received Presidential Medal of Freedom Award from John F. Kennedy in 1963 ·  Worked for native health and civic rights until her death in 1997
 * Annie Dodge Wauneka(1910-1997) **

·  Worked as head of the Dine'beiina Nahiilna Be Agaditahe (DNA) which provided legal help to the Navajo, Hopi, and Apache Tribes in 1967 ·  Was elected Tribal Chairman in 1982 ·  Became first Navajo Nation President (reorganized government system) in 1988 and held position until 1995 Back to 1800-present Research Pages Index
 * Peterson Zah (1937-) **