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| Carol Wright, Western Shoshone, and John Redhouse, Dine' and Ute, share the history of the resistance movement spanning 55 years today, with Melanie Yazzie, Dine', of the Red Nation. |
Pyramid Lake -- John Redhouse Launches New Book on Bordertown Racism
"There is no compromise, no surrender," John said of coal mining. "Leave it in the ground."
First in our three-part series
Watch on Red Nation YouTube
PYRAMID LAKE NATION -- "I love my people," says John Redhouse, Dine and Ute, as he describes growing up in Farmington, New Mexico, and the resistance to racism in the bordertown.
John launched his new book today in Pyramid Lake, Nevada, Bordertown Clashes, Resource Wars, Contested Territories: The Four Corners in the Turbulent 1970s.
"Today is a dream come true."
John shares the history of the resistance movement spanning 55 years, beginning when he was 17 years old. After growing up in the bordertown of Farmington, John learned from the leaders in the movement -- from the grandmothers at Big Mountain and the fishing rights leaders in the Northwest, to the young Pueblo warriors at the University of New Mexico and the National Indian Youth Council.
John is joined by his wife Carol Wright, Western Shoshone from Smoky Valley, during today's book launch at the Pyramid Lake Museum and Visitor Center.
Carol is speaking on water rights at Pyramid Lake, and how she fought to save the lake for her children's future. Carol describes educating the Nevada press, and the news wire UPI, about water rights.
"We kept on going in our fight to save the lake."
With the National Indian Youth Council, Carol taught Native youths to improve their research and writing skills. Twenty-five went on to become lawyers, researchers and writers. "We're really proud of them."
Following the battle of water rights, came the struggle over hunting rights, land rights, and all Native rights. In 1970, she helped launch the American Indian Press Association. In 1977, Carol was the first woman to address the National Congress of American Indians. At that time, Northern Cheyenne was battling coal mining.
The Native American Rights Fund, NARF, was encouraging compromise on water rights. "I got in some good arguments with NARF on that," Carol said. Then, Carol took over the Nevada Independent and learned the skills of newspaper layout and publishing.
"That's how we kept the beans on the table."
Carol and John found other publishing outlets and kept it going.
John said the Red Power Movement began in 1492, and reached a new level in the 1960s and 1970s. There were many survival issues in the battle for the land and water.
"You are born into the struggle."
"Ninety-eight percent of our people were killed since 1492, and 98 percent of our land was taken away," John said.
"Every day our land is being taken."
"Those are the elements of war."
Ultimately it was a question of survival and genocide.
"My people are at war -- and so I am at war."
John joined the National Indian Youth Council at that time, and learned from the leaders and legends at that time. "They were the vanguards, they showed great leadership."
"We are remnants of the Warrior Society."
"It felt like home," John said of being with the National Indian Youth Council.
"I wanted to be with my comrades in struggle."
The anger he felt growing up in the bordertown of Farmington was transformed while he was a member of the Youth Council, and becoming part of the change for good.
It is part of that ongoing struggle since 1492, John said.
"It is a book that has been calling out to be published."
In 1981, John said he finished his international work, passing it on to youths, and decided to write this book.
"You move on, and make room for others."
The one thing he could do was writing.
"I chose that as the next stage of my life's work." He chose that for the next 31 years.
In 1976, there was the protest of the Bicentennial, and there were the fishing rights wars in the Northwest, during the push to do away with treaty and fishing rights at that time.
"It was an attack on our existence, on our survival."
The Trail of Indian Self Determination, led by Sid Mills, followed in 1976, and there was a regional rally in Albuquerque.
The voices made by the legends influenced and inspired him. John was only 17 years old when he began learning from Herb Blatchford, Vine Deloria and the National Indian Youth Council. Many people were involved in the fishing wars in the northwest and the hand-to-hand combat that was going on there.
"I was inspired by writing," John said.
Today, John said it is a dream come true.
John and Carol are being interviewed by Melanie Yazzie, Dine'/Navajo, of Red Nation.
Melanie points out that there is a new push for coal mining on the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation Council is holding town halls, and the coal industry is bussing people in. She said bilagáana (whites) are trying to take over the message.
"There is no compromise, no surrender," John said of coal mining, describing the resistance at Big Mountain and in the Four Corners which continues today.
"Leave it in the ground."
John said he learned so much from the elders, including the grandmothers at Big Mountain and the Lakota warriors in the Black Hills. Speaking of the inter-generational struggle and the battle against coal mining, he said, "That's why we have children."
John said all of these things require water and the lithium mining at Thacker Pass is another one. "We always have to be Warriors." He tells people to always take the "long view."
John spoke of the KIVA Club at University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and the history of activism of Pueblos. "They were warriors at a very young age."
Speaking of the Navajo and Pueblo unified work, John said Acoma Pueblo poet Simon Ortiz is one of those that has inspired the resistance with his written words that carry on the oral traditions.
"Simon has so many stories."
Carol described battling newspaper censorship, and her no-compromise position on water rights.
When Native people said they didn't know how to write, she told them: If you can talk, you can write, write the way you talk. Carol said one of the most beautiful, classic works of John was the forward to R.C. Gorman's art book, R.C. Gorman: The Graphic Works.
Carol says she tells writers, think of the most influential thing that happened in your life and write it down, or write down some history you would like to share with your family. "It doesn't have to be perfect."
Carol is researching the new AI, artificial intelligence, and some of it is producing the wrong information. "You can tell it's fake," she said.
"To the white man, it's going to be their future."
The AI data centers require enormous amounts of water, and Carol says, including one that was planned in Nevada. The corporations planned to steal the water from Indians, ranchers and Indian tribes. She said AI selected Nevada because there is land, but it's the driest state in the nation. Where would they get the water?
John has written five books, and continues to work to inspire Native youths.
"I hope it inspires other people to take up the pen."
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| Protest in Farmington in 1974. Photo Bob Fitch |
Censored News original series
FARMINGTON, NM -- On the Fourth of July, John Redhouse Pinpoints Coal-Fired Racism in Farmington
ALBUERQUE -- Dine' John Redhouse: Farmington was the Hate Criminal Capital of the West in 1974
PYRAMID LAKE, Nevada -- Sharing 55 years of history of the Red Power Movement, John Redhouse launches new book on bordertown racism
Book talk and livestream at Books on the Bosque bookstore
July 4, 2025 – Farmington, NM
Book talk and livestream at Inspired Moments Event Center
July 5, 2025 – Gallup, NM
Book sale and author meet & greet at the Gallup Flea Market
The Red Nation Podcast is proud to provide live-streaming for the book launch tour.
Find links to the book, livestream, and event pages on the Red Media website:
https://www.redmedia.press/events/
Protest over the torture murder of Dine' in Farmington, New Mexico. Photo by Bob Fitch. Today John Redhouse, Dine', launches his new book, remembering those days in the 1970s.
Red Media Press announces its second publication: Bordertown Clashes, Resource Wars, Contested Territories: The Four Corners in the Turbulent 1970s by John Redhouse. The Red Nation Podcast is proud to provide live-streaming for the book launch tour.
"With extraordinary detail, precision, and humor, Redhouse testifies to the will and spirit of a movement at a pivotal time when there was no 'I can’t,' only 'we must.' Bordertown Clashes offers a roadmap for contemporary Red Power activists who must confront the present tense of struggle with the fortitude and versatility of their predecessors." – The Red Nation
Purchase the book in-person with Red Media or online with Common Notions:
https://www.commonnotions.org/
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