Overview:
A long awaited Navajo Code Talkers Museum gets a boost from state funding.
A museum honoring the Navajo Code Talkers is moving forward with nearly $20 million in funding from the state of New Mexico.
The Navajo Code Talker Museum will be built on the Navajo Preparatory School’s campus, on Navajo Nation land in Farmington, N.M. Funding will cover the museum construction and development of exhibits on the language and legacy of the Navajo Code Talkers.
The Code Talkers were Native American men who served in World War I and World War II, and used their Native languages to send coded messages. Enemies never broke their codes, and the men are credited as a major force in the United States’ victory in both wars.
534 Code Talkers from the Navajo, Comanche, Meskwaki, Chippewa, and Oneida tribes were deployed during WWI. More than 420 of them were Diné.
“The United States owes the Navajo Code Talkers a tremendous debt — for their language, their courage and their heroic service to our state and nation,” said New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham in a press release. “With two Code Talkers still living, there is no time to waste. New Mexico is proud of their legacy, and we are committed to sharing their story for generations to come.”
In May, the Navajo Preparatory School Governing Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a Memorandum of Agreement with the state to build and operate the museum. Partners include the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department, General Services Department, Department of Cultural Affairs, Higher Education Department and Department of Finance and Administration. The Navajo Preparatory school will manage the museum.
“The partnership marks a milestone in what will become a significant tribally led cultural project to honor Navajo Code Talkers,” said Head of School Shawna Allison Becenti. “The Navajo Code Talkers saved countless lives and helped turn the tide of World War II. Their legacy deserves to be honored in a place that is rooted in Diné culture, led by our community.”
