The Long Walk~1863-1866~Central New Mexico Communtity College.
Since the 1800s the Navajo have been subjected to the will of the United States government. They were forced on “The Long Walk” (300 mile) from their native homeland in Arizona and New Mexico to be held prisoner at Fort Sumner until a treaty in 1868 allowed them to return “home”. There were stipulations in the treaty such as mandatory education for Navajo children in government run missionary schools that were usually away from their families.
The Navajo culture was based on kinship systems and the separation was to destroy their culture. They wanted to assimilate the children into the “white” America by giving them English names, practice Christianity, forbid them to use their language and dress in non-tribal clothes. Punishment for not following these expectations was harsh. These schools were still operating when World War II started.
The Long Walk~1863-1866~Central New Mexico Communtity College.
Navajo Children In Government School~Library of Congress
“They tell us not to speak in Navajo language. You’re going to school. You’re supposed to only speak English. And it was true. They did practice that and we got punished if you was caught speaking Navajo.”
—John Brown, Jr., Navajo Code Talker, National Museum of the American Indian interview, 2004