Chairman of the Navajo Nation
| Chairmen of the Navajo Nation | |
|---|---|
| Naabeehó Bináhásdzo (Navajo) | |
Great Seal of the Navajo Nation | |
| Residence | Window Rock, AZ |
| Term length | Four years, no term limits |
| Constituting instrument | Navajo Nation Code & Treaty of 1868 |
| Inaugural holder | Chee Dodge |
| Formation | 1923 |
| Final holder | Leonard Haskie |
| Abolished | 1991 |
The Chairman of the Navajo Nation was the head of the government at the formation of the Tribal Council and the government entity to interact with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The office was replaced by the President of the Navajo Nation in 1991 during restructuring of the Tribal Government into a three-branch national government.
Officeholders
| No. | Chairman | Took office | Left office | Tenure | Party | Election | Vice Chairman | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chee Dodge (c. 1860–1947) 1st time |
1923 | 1928 | 5 years | Unknown | TBA | Vacant | ||
| 2 | Deshna Chischillige (TBA–TBA) |
1928 | 1932 | 4 years | Unknown | TBA | Maxwell Yazzie | ||
| 3 | Thomas Dodge (1899–1987) |
1932 | March 30, 1936[a] | 3–4 years | Unknown | TBA | Marcus Kanuho | ||
| 4 | Henry Taliman Sr. (TBA–TBA) |
1937 | 1938 | 1 year | Unknown | TBA | Roy Kinsel | ||
| 5 | Jacob C. Morgan (1879–1950) |
1938 | 1942 | 4 years | Unknown | TBA | Howard Gorman | ||
| 6 | Chee Dodge (c. 1860–1947) 2nd time |
1942 | 1946 | 4 years | Unknown | TBA | Sam Ahkeah | ||
| 7 | Sam Ahkeah (1896–1967) |
1946 | 1954 | 8 years | Unknown | TBA | Chee Dodge (died before taking office) | ||
| Zealy Tso (1946–1950) | |||||||||
| John Claw (1951–1952) | |||||||||
| Adolph Maloney (1952–1954) | |||||||||
| 8 | Paul Jones (1895–1971) |
1955 | 1963 | 8 years | Unknown | TBA | Scott Preston | ||
| 9 | Raymond Nakai (1918–2005) |
1963 | 1970 | 7 years | Unknown | TBA | Nelson Damon | ||
| 10 | Peter MacDonald (born 1928) 1st time |
1971 | 1982 | 11 years | Republican | TBA | Wilson Skeet (1971–1979) | ||
| Frank E. Paul (1979–1982) | |||||||||
| 11 | Peterson Zah (1937–2023) |
1983 | 1987 | 4 years | Democratic | TBA | Edward T. Begay | ||
| 12 | Peter MacDonald (born 1928) 2nd time |
1987 | 1989 | 2 years | Republican | TBA | Johnny R. Thompson | ||
| – | Leonard Haskie (1944–2015) Interim |
1989 | 1991 | 2 years | Unknown | – | Irvin Billy | ||
| Office abolished, replaced by President of the Navajo Nation.[1][2] | |||||||||
Notes
- ^ Resigned from office.
See also
- President of the Navajo Nation
- Vice President of the Navajo Nation
- Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council