Like so many museums across our nation, the
Heard Museum was
founded by a rich 19
th century family that gave its collection of
art and artifacts to form the core of a new museum’s holdings.
The Heard family, heirs to the True
Value Hardware Company of Chicago, had moved to Phoenix in the late 1800’s for
health reasons.
They fell in love
with the Southwest and were particularly taken with the Indian culture of the
region – featured in this museum.
Down the hall, an exhibit honored the Code Talkers, valorous
Indian men who first served in WW I and then more fully in WW II -- in both the
South Pacific and European theatres. Only
in 1968 were these men given permission to talk of their wartime assignments and
even still later in 2001 given full public recognition by our
government—something they so richly deserved. These were brave men, who served
in the front lines identifying enemy positions and calling in artillery, using a
coded form of their native languages. The enemy was never able to decipher
their messages which were critically important to the American war effort.
A large number of native Americans come to see their past
portrayed at the Heard and no doubt leave with enhanced pride.
 |
| Code Book |
 |
| Code Talker Radio Equipment |
 |
| Navajo Code Talker Reunion |
No comments:
Post a Comment