Lecture: Growing Up With HeroesThe Navajo Code Talkers of World War II A Daughter's Journey by Zonnie Gorman January 5, 2008

The largest, most comprehensive exhibition on the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II will be on display at the Branigan Cultural Center from January 4 - 26, 2008. Of all the untold stories from World War II that have recently come to light, none is more important nor more ironic than that of the Code Talkers -- some 400 Navajo youths, many hardly more than boys -- were recruited by the U.S. government to devise an unbreakable code in the language they had been previously forbidden to speak.

This exhibit traces the story of the famed United States Marine Corps Navajo Code Talkers. It begins with the original group of twenty-nine volunteers, who in 1942, developed and tested the original Navajo code. Proven fast and accurate, the Marine Corps recruited nearly 400 more Navajos who utilized the code sending and receiving encrypted messages throughout the Pacific island hopping campaign. The ingenuity of the Navajo Code Talkers baffled Japanese cryptographers and greatly helped in the effort to win the war in the Pacific.

This exhibit is a tribute to these men. Originally done as an oral history project by Wingate High School students in Gallup, New Mexico, this exhibit speaks volumes of the pride young Navajos have for their heroes.

The traveling exhibit displays more than 33 historic photographs with text; facsimiles of original, military WW II documents; a 1940 map of the Navajo Reservation; and the (now de-classified) Navajo Code itself. In addition, the full-length documentary, Navajo Code Talkers by the Arts & Entertainment/History Channel will be running throughout open gallery hours for additional enrichment to the exhibition. Our Fathers, Our Grandfathers, Our HeroesThe Navajo Code Talker of World War II is made possible with grants from the New Mexico Humanities Council, and PNM, and APS corporations. This traveling exhibition is produced and circulated by the Circle of Light Navajo Educational Project, Gallup, New Mexico.

The public is invited to attend the exhibit opening reception on Friday, January 4, 2008 from 5:00 7:00 p.m. Zonnie Gorman will be a special guest at the reception. Ms. Gorman is the daughter of the late Dr. Carl Gorman who was one of the Navajo Code Talkers and the youngest sister to the legendary and renowned Navajo artist, the late R.C. Gorman. She is a recognized historian on the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II.

On Saturday, January 5th, Ms. Gorman will present a lecture entitled Growing Up with Heroes...The Navajo Code Talkers of World War II, A Daughter's Journey, at 10:00 a.m. at Branigan Cultural Center, Shannon Gallery. In 1989 Zonnie Gorman embarked on a personal journey to discover that part of her father who was one of the original twenty-nine Navajo Code Talkers. With a love of history, her journey has led her through a lifetime of research, interviews and archiving. Ms. Gorman has lectured extensively throughout the United States, including several universities and colleges as well as the Museum of the American Indian and N.A.S.A. Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

During the lecture Ms. Gorman shares a touching story about the Code Talkers, with emphasis on her father's role. She will make the Navajo reservation of the 1940s come alive. Zonnie's personal insights, well researched information and wry humor combine to offer a poignant, eye-opening and stirringly patriotic presentation.

On Saturday, January 19, 2008 the Branigan Cultural Center will screen the recently released PBS documentary, True Whispers: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers, at 10:00 a.m. The thought-provoking documentary explores the complex story of the Code Talkers from the Navajo point of view and reveals the pivotal role they played in helping the U.S. forces win the Pacific Theater during World War II. The film deftly interweaves archival wartime footage, eloquent Navajo commentary, and intimate scenes shot on location on the Navajo reservation in remote parts of Arizona and New Mexico.

The Branigan Cultural Center is located at the north end of the downtown mall. Parking is accessible from the intersection of Water and Hadley streets. There is no charge, and the Cultural Center is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Cultural Center is fully accessible for all audiences. For more information about the exhibition, contact the Branigan Cultural Center at 541-2154 or visit the Centers website at museums.las-cruces.org.

Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of lcms.