A code talker was a person employed by the military during wartime to use a little-known language as a means of secret communication. The term is most often used for United States service members during the World Wars who used their knowledge of Native American languages as a basis to transmit coded messages. In particular,there were approximately 400 to 500 Native Americans in the United States Marine Corps whose primary job was to transmit secret tactical messages. Code talkers transmitted messages over military telephone or radio communications nets using formally or informally developed codes built upon their indigenous languages. The code talkers improved the speed of encryption and decryption of communications in front line operations during World War II and are credited with some decisive victories. Their code was never broken.
The Navajo Nation,also known as Navajoland,is an Indian reservation of Navajo people in the United States. It occupies portions of northeastern Arizona,northwestern New Mexico,and southeastern Utah. The seat of government is located in Window Rock,Arizona.
The Navajo Nation Council is the Legislative Branch of the Navajo Nation government. The council meets four times per year,with additional special sessions,at the Navajo Nation Council Chamber,which is in Window Rock,Arizona.
Joe Shirley Jr. is a Navajo politician who is the only two-term President of the Navajo Nation. He served as president from 2003 to 2011. He lives in Chinle,Arizona,and is Tódíchʼíiʼnii,born for Tábąąhá.
Edward Thomas Begay was a Native American politician who served as the Speaker of the Navajo Nation from 1999 to 2003. He also served as Vice-Chairman in 1983 under the Chairmanship of then Chairman Peterson Zah. Begay was a major influence in the Churchrock/Bááh Háálį́ community,and was active within Chapter Affairs.
Ben Shelly was the 7th president of the Navajo Nation. He was the first president to have been elected both president and vice president of the Navajo Nation,as well as the first New Mexican Navajo to hold the Navajo presidency.
Frank Chee Willeto was an American politician and Navajo code talker during World War II. Willeto served as the vice president of the Navajo Nation under President Milton Bluehouse,Sr. from his appointment in August 1998 until January 1999,when the Begaye administration took office.
Russell Begaye is a Navajo politician who served as the 8th president of Navajo Nation from May 2015 to January 2019. He was the second New Mexican Navajo to hold the Navajo Presidency.
The Navajo Nation presidential election of 2018 was held on Tuesday,November 6,2018. The candidates for President of the Navajo Nation in the general election were Jonathan Nez and Joe Shirley,Jr. Jonathan Nez and running mate Myron Lizer won the election. Although neither Nez nor Shirley were incumbents,they possessed the high name recognition associated with incumbents.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender,and queer (LGBTQ) people in the Navajo Nation,the largest indigenous sovereign state in the United States,face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal,but same-sex unions are not recognized,and marriage has been banned by the tribal constitution since 2005. In 2022,a bill was introduced to repeal the ban and recognize same-sex marriage,but has faced challenges on the reservation. In 2023 a second bill was introduced,and passed its initial readings.
On March 17,2020,the COVID-19 pandemic was reported to have reached the Navajo Nation. The virus then spread rapidly through the Navajo Nation to the point that the Navajo,in 2020,had a higher per capita rate of infection than any state of the United States. The population according to the 2010 United States census was 173,667. As of September 13,2022,the number of confirmed cases was 31,571 with 1,893 deaths.
Myron Lizer is a Native American politician and businessman who served as the 10th vice president of the Navajo Nation under President Jonathan Nez.
Elijah James Crane is an American politician and businessman elected as the U.S. representative from Arizona's 2nd congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party,Crane defeated Democratic incumbent Tom O'Halleran.
The 2022 Navajo Nation presidential election took place on Tuesday,November 8,2022,to elect the president and vice president of the Navajo Nation. The primary election was held on August 2. Incumbent president Jonathan Nez ran for reelection with attorney Chad Abeyta as his running mate. Incumbent Vice President Myron Lizer did not seek re-election,instead running for U.S. House in Arizona. Nez and Abeyta advanced to the general election,as did the challenging ticket of construction manager Buu Nygren and Torreon/Star Lake Chapter President Richelle Montoya. Nygren and Montoya won the general election by a 6-point margin,and Montoya became the Navajo Nation's first female vice president.
Buu Nygren is a Navajo politician currently serving as the 10th President of the Navajo Nation.
The 2015 Navajo Nation Presidential Election was held on April 21,2015,with the primary on August 26,2014. Russell Begaye and Jonathan Nez,who finished third in the primary,won the election.
Crystalyne Curley is an American politician serving as the 11th speaker of the Navajo Nation Council since 2023. She is the first woman to hold the position. Curley was Miss Navajo from 2011 to 2012.
Ethel Branch is an American attorney and politician. A member of the Navajo Nation,Branch was the 11th and 13th Attorney General of the Navajo Nation.
Eugenia Charles-Newton is a Dinépolitician and lawyer serving on the Navajo Nation Council for the Shiprock district since 2019. She is the first woman to represent the district.
Shawna Ann Claw is a Dinépolitician serving as a member of the Navajo Nation Council for the Chinle Chapter since 2023. She was previously the vice president of the chapter.
