50 Years Ago

The University of New Mexico branch in Gallup had finally realized that there were a lot of Navajo out there really interested in learning their own language.

The results of the 1970 primary for tribal chairman was made official this week 50 years ago with Peter MacDonald receiving the most chapter votes with 41 followed by Raymond Nakai with 27 and Sam Billison with four.  No other candidate received higher than one.

The Navajo Tribe held its 1970 primary this week and incumbent Chairman Raymond Nakai probably realized Tuesday morning that his time was almost over.

The Navajo Nation primary will be held Monday and pretty much everyone believes Raymond Nakai and Peter MacDonald will take the two top spots.

I started covering the Navajo government on September 1971 so I missed the 1970 election between Peter MacDonald and Raymond Nakai. So my accounts of the race in the past few columns have been based on stories printed in the Navajo Times and local newspapers as well as a few things I remember being told about the election.