The Navajo Studies Conference began at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque in 1986 where non-Navajo scholars, led by co-founders Charlotte Frisbie and David Brugge, sought a forum to collate and disseminate some of the information they had gathered over decades of study of Navajo culture and history. They recognized that much of this information was relevant and significant to the future of the Navajo Nation.

Previous Conferences and Themes

The 1st conference lasted three days and included approximately thirty presentations on a variety of topics: archaeology, history, religion, social organization, law, the arts, and so forth. Plans were also made to continue the conference annually. Sufficient funds were generated through registration fees to provide scholarship money for Navajo students through the UNM Native American Student Services Office, and seed money was collected for the second conference.

The 2nd conference was held in 1987 at Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff and was sponsored by various departments and colleges at NAU, by the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology at UNM, and by the Museum of Northern Arizona. This conference attracted about 200 attendees and roughly forty presentations.

At the 3rd conference at Navajo Community College in Tsaile, Arizona, emphasis shifted from scholarly plenary sessions and symposia to a variety of traditional Navajo presentations and community activities, including shoe games, dances, and so forth. Although many scholarly presentations were given in English, a great many were also presented in Navajo. This shift in focus is in keeping with the need to not just include Navajos in the discussion but to recognize that Navajo Studies cannot happen without the full participation of Navajos in all aspects of the Conference.
Theme: "Why Navajo Studies"

The 4th Navajo Studies Conference was held at UNM-Gallup Campus, New Mexico, October 18-21, 1989.

The 5th Navajo Studies Conference was held at Navajo Community College, Shiprock, New Mexico Campus, October, 17-20, 1990
Theme: "The People Have survived…Áhaláhgo naashá"

The 6th Navajo Studies Conference was held at Window Rock, Arizona, March 11-14, 1992
Theme: "Diné Be'Iina Baah Hanidzin, Preserving Navajo Traditional Life"

The 7th Navajo Studies Conference was held at the Navajo Community College, Tsaile, Arizona, October 6, 7, 8, 1993
Theme: "A Synthesis of Past, Present and Future Through Transformational Knowledge"

The 8th Navajo Studies Conference was held at San Juan College, Farmington, New Mexico, March 15-18, 1995.
Theme: "The Navajo: A Living Legacy"

The 9th Navajo Studies Conference was held at Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado, April 10-13, 1996
Theme: "Persistence & Change"

The 10th Navajo Studies Conference was held at University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, April 16-19, 1997
Theme: "Within and Beyond the Sacred Mountains A Decade of Cultural Exchange"

The 11th Navajo Studies Conference was held in Window Rock, Arizona, October 21-24, 1998.
Theme: "Diné be'iina'bindii'a (The Roots of Navajo Life)"

The 12th Navajo Studies Conference was held at San Juan College, Farmington, New Mexico, September 27-30, 2000.
Theme:" Diné bibee'í'ool'íít ílástsii' nilíigo beiidlée'go K'éédiilyé, Planting and Sharing the Seeds of the Dine Way of Life"

The 13th Navajo Studies Conference was held at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, October 16-20, 2001
Theme: "Dzit Naata'á - Living by the Teachings of the Sacred Mountains"

The 14th Navajo Studies Conference was held at Diné College, Tsaile, Arizona, on April 2-5, 2003.
Theme: "Beyond the Mountains: Diné and the Global Village"

The 15th Navajo Studies Conference was held at Fort Lewis College, Durango Colorado, on October 20-23, 2004.
Theme: "Beyond the Mountains: Diné and the Global Village"

The 16th Navajo Studies Conference was held at UNM, Albuquerque New Mexico, on November 1-4, 2006.
Theme: "In the Sacred Manner We Walk as Diné"

The 17th Navajo Studies Conference was held at Diné College, Tsaile, Arizona, on November 1-4, 2007.
Theme: "Hozhóójíí Connections of Indigenous Cultures"

The 18th Navajo Studies Conference was held at Diné College, Shiprock, New Mexico on March 12-14, 2009.
Theme: "Na'nitin dóó o'oolííl bee hasht'e ádi'diilnílígíí ahil néidííltah: Defining Navajo Values and Practices for a Sustainable Future"

The 19th Navajo Studies Conference was held at Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, NM on March 14 - 17, 2012.
Theme: "Iiná náhoodleeldóó alta'anáhoo'nííl; Náásgóó biniiyé anooséél: Cycles of Life and Seasons of Change--Cultivating the Seeds of our Future"

The 20th Navajo Studies Conference was held at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ on May 28-30, 2015.  
Theme: Yideesk33g00 Din4k’eh Nits1h1kees, $4’deet88h, d00 H0dz2’ Bee !niit’4edoo: Navajo Knowledge and Experiences for our future