Piestewa Peak - Name

Name

Since at least 1910, the name Squaw Peak had been used in reference to the mountain. Other historic names included Squaw Tit Mountain, Phoenix Mountain and Vainom Do'ag, the Pima name for the mountain. As the term "squaw" is considered derogatory by some, numerous efforts to change the name of the mountain were made through the years. State Representative Jack Jackson, himself a Navajo, submitted a bill to change the name annually beginning in 1992, which generated repeated and often raw debates in Arizona. In 1997, the local youth group of the American Indian Movement, which filed a petition with the State Board on Geographic and Historic Names in 1997 to change the name to Iron Mountain, the English translation of the mountain's native Pima name. The board researched the issue for nearly a year before ruling in July 1998 that too much doubt existed as to whether the name Vainom Do'ag actually referred to the mountain in question or another nearby peak and the petition was rejected, although the board left the door open to alternative possible name-changes.

US Board on Geographic Names policy is to consider changes to features using the word "squaw" when approved by local authorities, but petitioners are strongly urged to choose new names that relate to Native American woman and/or culture. In 2003, newly elected Governor Janet Napolitano petitioned the state board to rename the mountain for Lori Piestewa. The Governor's lobbying, while ultimately successful, proved to be controversial. The controversy stemmed in part from the fact that governor's request violated a required waiting period of 5 years after a person's death prior to renaming a geographic feature; Piestewa had been killed earlier that year. Tim Norton, a Phoenix police officer who was serving as the board's director at the time, refused to place the request on the board's agenda, citing the five year requirement. Mario Diaz, an aide to Napolitano subsequently contacted Norton's supervisor with the police department in an attempt to pressure Norton into changing his mind, but the supervisor refused, stating it was not a police department issue and was outside of his authority. Diaz' actions were picked up on by the press and resulted in strong criticism from both the public sector as well as fellow politicians, with some politicians considering a formal inquiry. Napolitano herself publicly admonished Diaz, but the controversy dogged Napolitano during her reelection campaign and throughout her tenure as governor.

The state board, absent its director, approved the name change to Piestewa Peak on April 17, 2003, less than a month after Piestewa's death. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names, however, refused to accept a similar petition at the time, citing their own five year waiting rule. Five years later the board agreed to review the request as the waiting period had passed. The board also considered other potential alternatives, including Swilling Peak for area pioneer Jack Swilling. Ultimately, the national board voted 11-2 to approve the name change to Piestewa Peak, while indicating that the original name of Squaw Peak might still be used in publications as a secondary reference.