Library Guides: Native American Studies: Special Collections & Archives

Native American Material In the University of Missouri Archives

Note: Some material may be restricted due to protections on student data.

Material from and about multicultural offices and organizations at MU is found in a set of boxes known as the Archives Box C:1/80/20 record group. A few highlights from the collection:

Native American Culture Reports (published), 1976, 1979, 2000 (in Box 2)
Native American Historical Documents, Reports & Other Documents, 1976-1995 (in Box 3)
Missouri Senate Bill No. 384 (Native American Remains), 1996 (in Box 3)
Dorothy Blatchford Pow Wow, 1997-2002 (in Box 5)
Ray A. Young Bear Presentation, 1999 (in Box 6)
Wilma Mankiller lecture, 1999 (in Box 6)
National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education, 2001 (in Box 6)
Native American Lands - Issues [clippings], no dates (in Box 6)

Consult the Archives to find out which parts of the collection you can look at, and work out a time when they can pull the material for you.

Highlights from the State Historical Society of Missouri

To access these collections, which are generally unpublished papers (letters, account books, organizations' files, etc.) you must visit the State Historical Society of Missouri during their business hours. Out of respect for the unique and often irreplaceable materials found here, all visitors must sign in, and must leave bags/backpacks, food, pens etc. in lockers outside (bring a quarter for the locker deposit).

These are only a few examples; for much more, consult the State Historical Society's complete listing of Native American materials.

Clark, William (1770-1838), Memorandum Book, 1819-1825
A microfilm copy of a public account book of William Clark’s, April 1819-1 March 1825, used while he was governor of Missouri Territory and U.S. Superintendent of Indian Affairs.
Dougherty, John (1791-1860), Letter Book, 1826-1829, (C2292)
1 book, also available on microfilm. John Dougherty was a fur trader, interpreter, and Upper Missouri Indian agent. These letters are dated from 1826 to 1829. The most extensive material relating to Indian tribes concerns the Pawnee Nations and the Kansa Indians. Other tribes under Dougherty's jurisdiction or mentioned in his correspondence include the Fox, Missouri, Sauk, Omaha, Shawnee, Comanche, Ponca, Iowa, Osage, Otoe, Sioux, Cheyenne, Yankton, Arapaho, Mandan, Arikara, and Delaware.
Lewis, Meriwether (1774-1809), Astronomy Notebook [1805] (C1074)
Set of formulae prepared by Robert Patterson of Philadelphia for Lewis to use in determining geographical locations by astronomical observation. Also includes a “sketch given us by Yallept, the principal chief of the Wollah-wollah nation,” and a drawing, probably by Lewis. A use copy is available on CD-ROM.
Neihardt, John G. (1881-1973), Papers, c. 1858-1974, (C3716)
A large collection of personal papers, interview transcripts and recordings, from John Niehardt, who was poet-in-residence at MU from 1949-1965 and in the 1930's did extensive work with Sioux at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, from which emerged the book Black Elk Speaks, the manuscript of which is a part of this collection.

MU Libraries Special Collections

Special Collections includes rare books and archival collections scanned to microformats (microfilm, microfiche). It is located on the 4th floor of Ellis Library. You need not be affiliated with the University of Missouri to look at material in Special Collections, or to enter the building.

The fastest way to locate materials on Native Americans in Special Collections is to use the search box on the Special Collections website. Try searching terms like native american, indian, osage, etc., or for the names of individual people. Special Collections staff will pull the material you ask for; make arrangements by calling them at 573-882-0076 or contacting them online.