The Long Walk to Fort Sumner

"The Long Walk to Fort Sumner" refers to the forced removal of the Navajo people by the U.S. government in 1864. After broken treaties and conflicts, around 8,000 Navajo were made to walk approximately 300 miles from their homeland in Arizona and New Mexico to a designated reservation at Fort Sumner in New Mexico. The journey was harsh, with many Navajo suffering from hunger, exhaustion, and illness. This event is a significant part of Navajo history, symbolizing loss of land, forced displacement, and resilience amid adversity.