We Will Secure Our Future: Empowering the Navajo Nation

by Peterson Zah, Peter Iverson

Overview

Nearing graduation from  Phoenix Indian School,Peterson Zah decided he wanted to attend college.  He was refused the reference letters needed for college admission by teachers who told him he would fail and thus embarrass them. Several years later, these instructors would receive invitations from Zah to a party celebrating his graduation from Arizona State University.

And so began a career that took Zah  to the presidency of the Navajo Nation. His life and accomplishments have exemplified the ongoing efforts by American Indian communities to gain greater control over their lives and lands. He has made important contributions in many areas, but education has always been one of his main priorities. Perhaps  no one in the Southwest has done more than Peterson Zah to increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation of American Indian students from colleges and universities.

Zah's presentations to Peter Iverson's classes at Arizona State University,  employed  examples drawn from his own experiences. Students praised his thoughtful, honest and direct observations.  He reinforced a central theme in Iverson's classesthat Indian history encompasses triumph as well as tragedy and victory as well as victimization.

This book grew out of  Iverson's determination to share Zah's insights  with a wider audience. The two met every few months to consider many subjects related to Zah's life.  These sessions formed the foundation for this volume.

Part autobiography, part interview, and part conversation, Zah and Iverson's account touches on a wide range of overlapping topics, but two central themes prevail: education and empowerment. We Will Secure Our Future is a fascinating look into the life of a man who  became a respected visionary and passionate advocate for his people. 
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780816502462
Publisher:	University of Arizona Press
Publication date:	06/01/2012
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Born in Keams Canyon, Arizona, in 1937, Peterson Zah became director of the Navajo Legal Services Program. He was later elected  as chairman of the Navajo Tribal Council and then as president of the Navajo Nation. He was also a special advisor to the president of Arizona State University which presented him with an honorary doctorate in 2005.  Peter Iverson is Regents' Professor of History (emeritus) at Arizona State University. He is the author or editor of 15 books including Diné: A History of the Navajos and "We Are Still Here": American Indians in the Twentieth Century.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations ix

Preface Peterson Zah xi

Preface Peter Iverson xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

Introduction Peter Iverson 1

1 Generations: "You Have to Share What You Have and You Have to Work Hard" 11

2 Schools: "I Needed to Get an Education" 25

3 Leaders: "You Have to Have a Vision" 48

4 Lawyers: "The Navajo People Wanted Solutions" 68

5 Traders: "They Were the Bank, the Post Office, the Loan Office, and the Employment Agency" 96

6 Neighbors: "Much of What We Faced with the Hopi Nation Was Something Created by the Federal Government" 110

7 Resources: "There Are Tremendous Opportunities Out There" 123

8 Tomorrows: "I Am Very Optimistic about the Navajo Future" 141

Epilogue: Restoring Harmony 164

Appendix: Chairmen of the Navajo Tribal Council and Presidents of the Navajo Nation 169

Notes 171

For Further Reading 175

Illustration Credits 185

Index 189

Editorial Reviews

"Iverson and Zah provide a source for young people to contemplate as they take the reins of ownership in the twenty-first century."—New Mexico Historical Review

“A uniquely collaborative work that is different enough to warrant real attention, and substantive enough to provide a solid education about this important Diné figure—and in his own words, no less.”  —David E. Wilkins, co-author of American Indian Politics and the  American Political System


"Iverson and Zah provide a source for young people to contemplate as they take the reins of ownership in the twenty-first century."—New Mexico Historical Review

“A uniquely collaborative work that is different enough to warrant real attention, and substantive enough to provide a solid education about this important Diné figure—and in his own words, no less.”  —David E. Wilkins, co-author of American Indian Politics and the  American Political System

From the Publisher