Keywords

Navajo / Diné Long Walk (1864-1868), Treaty of 1868, Indigenous Resilience, Diné History / Navajo History, U.S. Federal Indian Policy, and Historical Reconciliation

Abstract

This thesis, The Long Walk and Beyond: Navajo Resilience and the Journey from Displacement to Resurgence: A Study Exploring the Unique Late Nineteenth-Century Navajo Odyssey During United States Expansion, examines the profound impact of U.S. territorial expansion on the Navajo people during the mid-to-late nineteenth century. Central to this narrative is the tragic experience of the Navajo Long Walk (1864), which led to the forced relocation of thousands of Navajos to Bosque Redondo. The thesis explores the complexities of this relocation, emphasizing the cultural, social, and economic devastation it caused. Despite these challenges, the Navajo people demonstrated remarkable resilience, using the Treaty of 1868 to regain a portion of their ancestral homeland, marking the beginning of their resurgence. The work delves into the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of Navajo recovery in the post-Long Walk period, focusing on governance, the preservation of identity, and economic strategies. Furthermore, it considers the lasting legacy of the Navajo resurgence and its significance to contemporary discussions on sovereignty, Indigenous resilience, and cultural survival. This study offers a critical reevaluation of the Navajo experience in the late nineteenth century, emphasizing the transition from displacement to empowerment and the continuing impact of historical trauma and recovery on the Navajo people.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Murphree, Daniel

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

Department of History

Identifier

DP0029265

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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