▁commission er ▁of ▁the ▁B ure a ▁of ▁Indian ▁Affairs . ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁Indian ▁Cit iz ens hip ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁D odge ▁and ▁many ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁feder ally ▁recognized ▁tribes ▁were ▁granted ▁United ▁States ▁citizens hip . ▁Prior ▁to ▁that , ▁members ▁of ▁tribes ▁on ▁so ver eign ▁res erv ations ▁were ▁not ▁considered ▁citizens . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁D odge ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁N ava jo ▁Trib al ▁Council ▁and ▁served ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁During ▁his ▁ten ure , ▁he ▁lo bb ied ▁for ▁improved ▁education ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁N ava jo ▁children , ▁and ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Washington ▁to ▁conv ince ▁the ▁Federal ▁Government ▁to ▁secure ▁more ▁fund ing . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁subsequent ▁election ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁D odge ▁was ▁chosen ▁as ▁vice - ch air man . ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 8 6 ▁or ▁ 8 7 ▁before ▁the ▁sixth ▁Trib al ▁Council ▁conven ed ▁and ▁he ▁could ▁take ▁office . ▁Z he aly ▁T so ▁was ▁appointed ▁Vice - Ch air man ▁in ▁his ▁stead . ▁D odge ▁was ▁buried ▁near ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁Fort ▁Def iance . ▁ ▁Leg acy ▁Che e ▁D odge ▁Element ary ▁School ▁in ▁Y ata he y , ▁New ▁Mexico ▁and ▁Che e ▁D odge ▁Bou lev ard ▁near ▁Gall up ▁are ▁named ▁in ▁D odge '