Carlos Montezuma

Dr. Carlos Montezuma at Carlisle

Wassaja April 1916

Maricopa County-Dr. Carlos Montezuma's Grave

[[File: Carlos Montezuma (June 27, 1866 – January 31, 1923), also known by his Yavapai name Wassaja, was a notable Native American activist and one of the first Native Americans to receive a medical degree. His life and work were instrumental in advocating for the rights and sovereignty of Native American people during the early 20th century.

Early Life

Carlos Montezuma was born in the Yavapai region, present-day Arizona, into the Yavapai tribe. At a young age, he was captured by Pima raiders and later sold to an Italian photographer, Carlo Gentile, who gave him the name Carlos Montezuma. Gentile brought Montezuma to Chicago, where he was educated and eventually developed an interest in medicine.

Education

Montezuma pursued higher education with fervor, attending Illinois Wesleyan University for his pre-medical studies and later graduating from the Chicago Medical College (now part of Northwestern University) in 1889. His education marked a significant achievement, as he was one of the first Native Americans to earn a medical degree.

Career

After obtaining his medical degree, Montezuma worked as a physician on the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation reservation in Arizona. His experiences there deepened his understanding of the plight of Native Americans under the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Disillusioned by the BIA's policies and the conditions on reservations, Montezuma became a vocal advocate for Native American rights.

Activism

Montezuma's activism took many forms. He was a founding member of the Society of American Indians (SAI), an organization that sought to promote Native American rights and cultural awareness. Through the SAI and other platforms, he advocated for the abolition of the BIA, the allotment of land to individual Native Americans, and the integration of Native Americans into American society as citizens with full rights.

One of Montezuma's most significant contributions to the cause was his newsletter, Wassaja, named after his Yavapai birth name. Through Wassaja, Montezuma disseminated his views on Native American autonomy, criticized government policies, and called for reform.

Legacy

Carlos Montezuma's legacy is that of a trailblazer in the fight for Native American rights. His work laid the groundwork for future generations of activists and contributed to changes in how the United States government interacted with Native American communities. Montezuma's life and activism remain a testament to the resilience and agency of Native Americans in the face of systemic oppression.

Death

Carlos Montezuma died on January 31, 1923, but his legacy lives on through his writings and the ongoing struggle for Native American rights and sovereignty.