Navajo Code Talkers Day
About Navajo Code Talkers Day
When is Navajo Code Talkers Day? This holiday is always celebrated on August 14
Navajo Code Talkers Day is today. This August 14 holiday commemorates and honors the Navajo tribe members who joined the United States Marine Corps during World War II and played an invaluable role in transmitting critical secret communications between Allied forces. Enemy forces were unable to decode the messages. Messages transmitted by Code Talkers directly attributed to some Allied victories.
Encryption and coded messages have been in existence for thousands of years. They are used for military purposes, in politics, in business applications, to protect privacy, and occasionally for love letters. In World War II, the Code Talkers sent secret messages back and forth using their native Navajo language. The complex language proved to be an unbreakable code.
Navajo Code Talkers were directly engaged in many World War II battles, including Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, and Tarawa to name a few. U.S. military forces went to great extremes to protect these valuable communicators. Of over 400 Code Talkers who put their lives on the line for our country, none of them died in the war. However, some of them were wounded. And fortunately, none of them were captured.
Navajo Trivia and Fun Facts
Here are some Navajo Nation facts and trivia:
- Their ancestral home is in Arizona and New Mexico. The Navajo Nation covers 24,000 square miles.
- Dinétah is the name of their ancestral homeland.
- They speak Diné Bizaad. It is a complex language.
- Navajos have the largest population in the United States. The Cherokee Nation is second.
- In total, there are about 300,000 – 350,000 people of Navajo descent in the United States. (Estimates vary)
- The population on their reservation is about 141,000 people.
- People value their intricate and colorful artwork. This includes weaving, pottery, and jewelry.
Famous Navajos
In addition to the hundreds of Navajos Americans who served gallantly in World War II, here are some others who made their tribe proud:
- Manuelito, Navajo leader and influential chief
- Notah Begay III, professional golfer
- Fred Begay, nuclear physicist and a Korean War veteran
- Jacoby Ellsbury, New York Yankees outfielder
How to Celebrate and Participate in Navajo Code Talkers Day
Here are some ideas on how to celebrate and commemorate Navajo Code Talkers Day:
- Read the book Code Talkers (2006). You’ll learn all about them.
- Read books about World War II.
- Watch the movie Windtalkers (2002). This movie starring Nicolas Cage is about Code Talkers.
- Learn more about the Navajo Nation.
- Learn more about encryption and cryptology.
Navajo Quotes and Proverbs
Here are some well-known Navajo quotes and proverbs:
- Don’t snap off ears of corn before they are ripe. This is akin to “Don’t count your chickens until they are hatched.”
- We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
- Always assume your guest is tired, cold, and hungry, and act accordingly.
- When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.
- Certain things catch your eye but pursue only those that capture the heart.”
History and Origin of Navajo Code Talkers Day
In 1982, then-President Ronald Reagan issued a presidential proclamation declaring August 14 as Navajo Code Talkers Day. Surprisingly, while President Ronald Reagan declared this holiday, he did not include the word” National”in the title.
Also, in 2014, the Arizona state legislature passed legislation making Navajo Code Talkers Day an annual event.
Definition of “National” Days – Learn why it is so important to distinguish and identify true national days.
This Day in History
In addition to Navajo Code Talkers Day, here are some things that happened on this day:
- The Appalachian Trail is formally completed. It is over 2,000 miles across 14 states. (1937)
- Get a whiff of this…the Whiffle Ball was patented on this day. (1953)
- We celebrate the birth of comedian, actor, and writer Steve Martin, born on this day in 1945.
Related Holidays
People who like Navajo Code Talkers Day will also like:
More August 14 Holidays
Additionally, here are morew August 14 holidays we are certain you will enjoy:
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Did You Know? Besides Navajo Code Talkers Day, there are literally thousands of daily holidays, special events, and observances, more than one for every day of the year. Many of these holidays are new. People and organizations are creating new holidays regularly. August holidays are no exception. Consequently, at Holiday Insights, we take great efforts to thoroughly research and document the details of each one, as completely and accurately as possible.