Miguel Trujillo and the Pursuit of Native Voting Rights

The New Mexico History Museum is proud to present “Miguel Trujillo and the Pursuit of Native Voting Rights”. The special exhibition honors the 75th anniversary of the landmark court case, Trujillo v Garley, which granted Native New Mexicans the right to vote in US elections.

The story is told through an interactive voting booth and shares the fascinating story of Native American suffrage. The ruling in 1948 removed legal and constitutional barriers to voting for Native Americans residing on tribal lands in New Mexico. At the center of this effort is Miguel Trujillo (Isleta Pueblo), a veteran and tribal educator. His tireless pursuit of equitable representation for his people is a noteworthy addition to better-known stories about women’s suffrage and African American voting rights.

Also featured in the exhibition are excerpts from the latest season of Encounter Culture, the official podcast of the Department of Cultural Affairs, produced with the support of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Image Credit: Miguel Trujillo’s graduation from the University of New Mexico, 1942. Photograph courtesy of Dr. Michael Trujillo.