House
was first Native American legislator in Arizona
STATE CAPITOL,
PHOENIX – The
Arizona State Legislature today passed House Concurrent Resolution 2011 honoring
former Representative Dr. Lloyd L. House, who died on January 2nd.
The resolution was sponsored by Senator Carlyle Begay and Representative Paul
Boyer.
About
Representative Lloyd House
In 1966, Dr. House became the first Native American
elected to the Legislature, representing the Navajo Nation and all American
Indians. His election came just one year after the Federal Voting Rights Act
was passed, which prohibited racial discrimination with regard to voting and
elections, allowing minorities to assert their power and their right to vote
for the people they felt would best represent their interests.
During the Korean conflict, Rep. House served as a
Code Talker with the U.S. Marines and tirelessly advocated for his fellow Code
Talkers throughout his life. After serving in the Legislature, Rep. House
earned his doctorate in Higher Education and Business Administration, becoming
dean of instruction for Navajo Community College (Diné College).
The full resolution can be found here: HCR2011
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Sen. Begay |
Senator Carlyle Begay:
“Dr. House was a leader for our state and for the
Navajo people. In the true spirit of Arizona, he served his country and his
community through military service, as a legislator and as an educator. His election
to the Arizona Legislature was historic because it broke barriers and opened
doors for generations to come,” said Sen. Begay.
“I can say with all my heart that I and the rest of
the Native American Caucus are indebted to this man who took a chance to
represent his people and won. I am privileged to have known Dr. House as a family
mentor, to carry on his tradition of representing the tribes of Arizona at the
Legislature, and I proudly honor his legacy with this resolution.”
Representative Paul Boyer:
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Rep. Boyer |
“Lloyd House was one heck of a
public servant, bridging racial barriers and serving and bettering our
communities,” said Rep. Boyer. “It was an honor to recognize his legacy today
at the Legislature.”
Margaret Lynch, daughter of
Dr. House:
“How incredible it must have been
for him to stand on the House floor in 1966 and be the first Native American in
the Legislature,” said Ms. Lynch. “Looking back we can see how ground breaking
it must have been for that era, though I’m not sure at the time he realized the
impact he would have for generations to come.”
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