Carlos Montezuma—Warrior for Yavapai Rights

Dr. Carlos Montezuma rose from humble beginnings to become the most influential American Indian of his generation. Born around 1865, Montezuma and his two sisters were captured by an enemy tribe. Montezuma was sold to Italian immigrant and photographer Carlos Gentile for $30, and whisked from his native Yavapai land to the foreign surroundings of Chicago, not to return for 30 years.

Given the birth name “Wassaja,” which means signal or beckon, Gentile decided to give the youngster a sense of his indigenous heritage by renaming him Carlos Montezuma. The young man excelled in school as he moved around with Gentile. Montezuma eventually moved to New York City, living with other families after Gentile’s business was destroyed in a fire. The young Montezuma even played for a time with “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s Wild West show!

Despite a woeful lack of money, Montezuma mastered the demanding field of chemistry and earned a bachelor’s degree; for his thesis, he presented a 17-page paper entitled “Valuation of Opiums and Their Products.” He then attended the Chicago Medical School and became a medical doctor upon his graduation in 1889; indeed, Montezuma is traditionally named the first American Indian M.D.

Twenty years before his death, Carlos Montezuma rediscovered his Yavapai roots. During this period, he emerged as one of the foremost American Indian leaders in the U.S. Reconnecting with his people sparked Montezuma’s drive to bring them justice, promote their vitality and ensure their future. The small tribe’s lush lands and Verde River waters were coveted by state and federal officials. Montezuma faced a formidable task: most of the tribal members did not speak or write English. Frequent letters from Montezuma advised the Yavapai on how best to guard their precious water and lands, urging them to journey to Washington to make their voices heard. The federal government contended with Montezuma’s persistence in questioning the treatment of and services rendered to the Yavapai people.

In 1916, Montezuma began the Wassaja newsletter. This publication advocated for the abolition of the Federal Indian Bureau and the upholding of American Indian rights. His clashes with the Indian Service were legendary, and Anglo officials showered him with criticism for his efforts. But Montezuma never wavered, accomplishing much for not just the Yavapai but other tribes on state and national issues.

In the summer of 1922, Montezuma sensed his health was failing; he learned he had contracted tuberculosis. After publishing the final edition of Wassaja, Montezuma boarded a train in Chicago, returning to Fort McDowell in December 1922. Here a brush shelter constructed near some friends’ dwellings awaited him. Montzuma remained in bed or on the dirt floor for the final weeks of his life, with Yavapai leader and close friend George Dickens keeping a fire roaring during the exceptional winter chill. With his wife Marie by his side, Montezuma passed away on January 13, 1923.

In the final paragraph of the last article for Wassaja, Montezuma scribed the following: “If the world be against us, let us die on the pathway that leads to the emancipation of our race; keeping in our hearts that our children will pass over our graves to victory.” These stirring words provide a fitting epitaph for Dr. Carlos Montezuma.