Joe Shirley Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Shirley
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Shirley in 2009
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| 6th President of the Navajo Nation | |
| In office January 14, 2003 – January 11, 2011 |
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| Vice President | Frank Dayish Ben Shelly |
| Preceded by | Kelsey Begaye |
| Succeeded by | Ben Shelly |
| Member of the Navajo Nation Council | |
| In office 1986–1999 |
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| Succeeded by | Harry Clark Nelson Gorman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 4, 1947 Chinle, Arizona, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Vikki Begay |
| Education | Magic Valley Christian College Abilene Christian University (BS) Arizona State University, Tempe (MSW) |
Joe Shirley Jr. (born December 4, 1947) is a Navajo leader who made history as the only person to be elected President of the Navajo Nation for two terms in a row. He served as president from 2003 to 2011. He is from Chinle, Arizona, and belongs to the Tódíchʼíiʼnii (Bitter Water) clan, born for the Tábąąhá (Water's Edge) clan.
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Early Life and Education
Joe Shirley Jr. was born in Chinle, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation. He was raised by his grandmother from a young age. He is married to Vikki Shirley, and they have six children.
Shirley has a strong educational background. After graduating from Chinle High School in 1966, he earned several degrees. He received an Associate of Arts degree from Magic Valley Christian College in 1968. He then earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Abilene Christian University in 1973. Later, he completed a Master's degree in Social Work from Arizona State University in 1978.
In 2005, Northern Arizona University gave Shirley an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. This special award recognized his 35 years of service to the Navajo people.
Career in Public Service
Before becoming president, Shirley dedicated many years to helping his community. His career shows a long history of public service.
Working for the Community
For 15 years, Shirley worked as a social worker. This job gave him a deep understanding of the challenges faced by Navajo communities. From 1983 to 1984, he was the executive director of the Navajo Nation Division of Social Services, leading efforts to support families.
Apache County Supervisor
In 1984, Shirley was elected as the Apache County Supervisor for District I. He held this position for 18 years. During his time as supervisor, he helped improve roads and build important facilities for the county. After his presidency, he was re-elected to this role in 2012 and served as the chairman of the board.
From 1986 to 1999, Shirley served on the Navajo Nation Council, which is the law-making body of the Navajo Nation. He held several important leadership roles, including chairman of the Labor and Manpower Committee and the Ethics and Rules Committee.
Joe Shirley Jr.'s most famous role was as the President of the Navajo Nation. The president is the leader of the executive branch of the Navajo government, similar to the U.S. President.
First and Second Term
In 2002, Shirley ran for president with his running mate, Frank Dayish. They won the election, and Shirley was sworn in as president on January 14, 2003.
In 2006, he ran for re-election with a new vice presidential running mate, Ben Shelly. He won again, becoming the first person to be re-elected as Navajo Nation President. This was a historic achievement. During his second term, he supported changing the Navajo Nation Tribal Council from 88 members to 24. Voters approved this change in 2009, which was seen as a major success for his administration.
In 2008, Shirley endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton for U.S. President. He was also appointed to the federal Department of Homeland Security's Advisory Council by President Barack Obama in 2009.
2015 Presidential Election
After his two terms as president, Shirley ran for the office again in 2014. He made it to the final election, which was held in April 2015. He ran against Russell Begaye. In the end, Begaye won the election.
Awards and Recognition
Throughout his long career, Joe Shirley Jr. has received many awards for his leadership and service.
- In 1996, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Counties.
- In 2005, he received the Sovereignty Award from the National Indian Gaming Association.
- In 2007, his former university, Abilene Christian University, gave him a distinguished alumnus award.
- In 2009, he was appointed to the national Homeland Security Advisory Council.
These are just a few of the many honors he has received for his dedication to public service.
