Description

There has been a growing contemporary photography movement among Native American artists. The planning of this exhibit is part of this movement but will use historical photos taken by Milton Snow who was appointed as the Soil Conservation Service’s first official photographer in the early 1900s and charged with documenting changes the federal government was initiating in the Southwestern United States and on the Navajo Nation. Snow’s photos are said to be the first photos of Navajo people on the Navajo Nation. The early 1900s were an era of profound change in the Southwest and on the Navajo Nation. This period witnessed the breakup of collective Navajo land, Navajo livestock reduction program, new dams being built and more. Dr. Denetdale, the first Navajo to receive a Ph.D. in History will use these funds to assemble a team of experts to help her design an exhibit of Milton Snow’s photos and tell the Navajo history associated with these images. The exhibit will be at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, AZ and others have talk about wanting to host the show.