The Long Walk: A Brutal Chapter of U.S. History That Left 200 Native Americans Dead

This article contains AI-generated imagery.

While watching Dark Winds on Netflix this week, I was reminded of the horrors tied to this part of history. As someone with Native heritage, I was glad to see it portrayed through the lens of "Indian justice" in the show.

For those unfamiliar, in 1864, the U.S. government forced thousands of Navajo people to walk over 300 miles across treacherous terrain in what became known as The Long Walk. Stripped of their homes and dignity, approximately 200 men, women, and children died along the way—victims of cold, hunger, and exhaustion. This wasn’t just a tragic accident; it was state-sanctioned ethnic cleansing.

The Long Walk began as part of the U.S. government’s campaign to remove the Navajo from their homelands in the Southwest. American settlers and the government wanted more land, and the Navajo people were seen as an obstacle to expansion. In an effort to "solve the Navajo problem," U.S. military forces, led by Kit Carson, implemented a scorched-earth policy. Carson’s troops burned Navajo homes, destroyed crops, and killed livestock, leaving the Navajo with no choice but to surrender or starve.

Once captured, approximately 9,000 Navajo people were forced to march from their ancestral lands in present-day Arizona and New Mexico to Bosque Redondo, a barren reservation in eastern New Mexico. The journey spanned hundreds of miles through rugged terrain, with many walking in chains, poorly clothed, and without adequate food or water. For weeks, they trudged across the desert in harsh winter conditions.

The conditions were horrific. The elderly, the sick, and the very young were especially vulnerable. Many succumbed to the elements or died of malnutrition and disease. About 200 people died along the route, but the suffering didn’t end there. Upon arrival at Bosque Redondo, the Navajo faced even worse conditions. The land was unsuitable for farming, and the water was contaminated. Food shortages led to widespread hunger, and disease spread rapidly through the camp.

For four brutal years, the Navajo people remained imprisoned on this desolate piece of land. It wasn’t until 1868, after years of failed experiments in assimilating the Navajo and public outcry over their treatment, that the U.S. government finally relented. The Navajo signed a treaty allowing them to return to a portion of their homeland, making them one of the few Native nations to return to their territory after forced removal.

The Long Walk and the deaths of 200 Navajo people during this forced relocation is a dark chapter in American history that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Many believe it was not a random tragedy but instead, a calculated attempt to erase the Navajo people. The impacts of this event still resonate today, as the Navajo Nation continues to recover from the generational trauma inflicted by the U.S. government.

Oh, and by the way, if you haven't watched Dark Winds on Netflix, I highly recommend it.

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The Long WalkPhoto byAI