Carl Nelson Gorman

1907–1998 (age 91)

Artist/Code Talker

Biography

Carl Nelson Gorman (1907–1998) stood among the gifted Navajo artists whose service as a World War II code talker lent him a lifetime perspective on language and story, and he returned to Apache County determined to honor his people in paint and print.

He became a mentor, teacher and cultural ambassador, actively shaping art programs for young people across the Southwest and ensuring Indigenous artistry held pride of place in museums and classrooms.

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