Arizona Indian Education Association

Today marks the 102nd anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, also known as the Snyder Act, which granted U.S. citizenship to Native Americans born in the United States.

This history is deeply connected to NCAI’s own legacy of advancing Native citizenship. In 1923, Ruth Muskrat Bronson, a Cherokee Nation citizen, young student, and advocate, addressed President Calvin Coolidge at the White House and called for Native Americans to be recognized as U.S. citizens while preserving “the best that is our own civilization.” The following year, President Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act into law. Decades later, Bronson went on to serve as NCAI’s first Executive Secretary, Treasurer, editor of The Washington Bulletin, and a lifelong advocate for Tribal Nations.

However, federal law did not immediately guarantee full civic participation. Many Native people continued to be denied access to the ballot in states across the country. Miguel Trujillo, an activist, veteran, and citizen of Isleta Pueblo, was instrumental in the 1948 landmark case Trujillo v. Garley, which helped secure voting rights for Tribal citizens in New Mexico. Still, attacks on Native voting rights continue today.

As we reflect on this history, NCAI honors the generations of Native leaders, veterans, advocates, and communities who fought for citizenship, equal access to voting, self-determination, and the protection of Tribal sovereignty.

We also thank those who continue this work today to ensure access to the ballot box, full participation in the democratic process, and protection of the fundamental rights of Tribal citizens.

Today we honor Arizona's 22 sovereign Tribal Nations on Arizona's Native American Day, and recommit to the belief that education rooted in Indigenous knowledge is the foundation of sovereignty.

At NAU's Department of Applied Indigenous Studies, we prepare Indigenous students from Arizona and across the nation to return home as leaders — in governance, law, environmental science, and cultural preservation. Your culture is not a barrier to your education. It is the reason for it.

Learn more: nau.edu/college-social-behavioral-sciences/department-applied-indigenous-studies/

Cobell Vocational Application is OPEN! June 1, 2026📍
Today’s the day! Don’t miss your chance to apply and take advantage of this incredible opportunity to invest in your future.

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Know someone who has made a meaningful difference for American Indian students? Now is your chance to recognize and honor them. Nominations for the 2026 AIEA Educator Awards are officially open!

Join AIEA in recognizing the many educators, leaders, and community members in our state who have done substantial work to empower our student and promote Indigenous languages, values, cultures, and tribal sovereignty. Please share widely with your networks!

Visit www.AZindianEd.org/Awards to submit your nomination today. Nominations close June 30th, 2026

Today, the National Indian Education Association pauses to honor and remember the brave servicemen and servicewomen who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

We remember the sacrifices of Native veterans, military families, and all those who gave their lives in defense of our communities, homelands, and future generations.

This Memorial Day, we pause to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice made by our warriors. Their dedication and willingness to lay down their lives for our nation are acts of courage and honor that deserve our deepest respect and gratitude.
Thank you for your service. 🪶