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Montana Office of the State Coordinator of Indian Affairs records, 1948-1971

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana. Office of the State Coordinator of Indian Affairs
Title
Montana Office of the State Coordinator of Indian Affairs records
Dates
1948-1971 (inclusive)
Quantity
5 linear ft
Collection Number
RS 502 (Formerly RS 25)
Summary
This collection is a subgroup (Office) of the Montana Office of the Governor records. The Montana Office of Indian Affairs (formerly named Office of the State Coordinator of Indian Affairs) is administered through the Governor's Office. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Office of the Governor records. These Montana Coordinator of Indian Affairs records (1948-1971) consist of correspondence, subject files, financial records, organizational materials, reports, and clippings, concerning education, tribal industries, housing, legislation, statistics, meetings, and more.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

The Montana Legislature created the Office of Montana State Coordinator of Indian Affairs in 1951. The Governor appointed the Coordinator from a list of five persons agreed upon by the tribal councils of the Indian tribes of Montana for a four-year term at a salary of one dollar per annum. The Coordinator, based in Helena, was originally responsibile for creating a program designed to establish and place Indian citizens in a position "whereby they will be able to take their rightful place in society and assume the rights, duties, and privileges of full citizenship" (H.B. 221, introduced by David Higgins, 1951). The Coordinator was to accomplish this goal by soliciting rehabilitation loans "for the purpose of enabling deserving Indians to become self sufficient," to be disbursed through Indian loan associations; by promoting the welfare of Indians, especially adequate housing; by acquainting himself with the problems confronting Montana Indians and advising the legislature and the executive branch of such problems and making recommendations for the alleviation thereof; and by serving the Montana delegation in the U.S. Congress as an advisor and intermediary in Indian affairs.

Original duties of the Coordinator included cooperating with federal and state agencies, and giving reports to the Governor (and Legislative Assembly) on the physical and mental wellbeing of Montana Indians. In 1967, a law was passed stipulating that the Coordinator's salary was to be specified by the Montana Legislature. In 1969, several changes were made in the Coordinator's duties: In addition to soliciting rehabilitation loans, they were to solicit educational, economic, health, and housing funds, which were to be disbursed through various federal programs. They were also charged with the duty of promoting sanitation for Indians, (whether or not they resided on reservations) and was empowered to act, upon request, as spokesman for representative Indian organizations and groups.

Knute W. Bergan, formerly school principal in Browning for many years, was appointed State Coordinator in 1951. He served until his death in 1968 when he was replaced by Harold J. Boyd.

As of 2025, the Office of Indian Affairs continues to operate as a liaison between the tribes and state government and to “[promote] economic development, environmental protection, education, support for social services, and enduring good will” (Office of the Governor, Indian Affairs). Misty Kuhl, an A’aniiih member of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, is the current Director of Indian Affairs (2021-2025).

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Content Description

This collection is arranged into six series: General Correspondence, Financial Records, Organizational Materials, Subject Files, Miscellany, and Newspaper Clippings.

The General Correspondence series (1951-1971) discusses education, tribal industries, housing, legislation, statistics, personal problems of tribal members, meeting, donations to the tribes, etc. Information about numerous subjects for which a subject file was established is also found in this series.

The Financial Records series (1965-1970) contains information about the budget of the Coordinator. The Organizational Materials series (undated) includes a description of the Coordinator's goals and duties and a criticism of a proposed state Indian commission. The Subject Files series (1948-1971, undated) comprises the bulk of the collection and includes information on all the reservations and many Indian organizations and programs. Information on specific subjects can often be found in the subject files on affected tribes as well as in the file with the subject heading. For instance, information concerning Indian housing is found both in the subject file with that title as well as in the subject files on specific tribes.

The Miscellany series (1951-1970, undated) contains a variety of writings, news releases, lists, proceedings of conferences of concern to Indians, etc. The Clippings series (1930, 1954-1967) includes clippings on a variety of subjects. Printed material has been transferred to the Library. Notable persons who appear throughout the collection include Ed Belgard (Landless Indians), Freda Beazley (Fort Peck), Steve DeMers (Flathead), Walter McDonald (Flathead), Earl Old Person (Blackfeet), Sister Providencia, Walter Wetzel (Blackfeet), John Wooden Legs (Northern Cheyenne), and Robert Yellowtail (Crow).

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society Libary & Archives. The Library & Archives does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Library & Archives, Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into six series: General Correspondence, Financial Records, Organizational Materials, Subject Files, Miscellany, and Newspaper Clippings.

Location of Collection

17:7-5

Processing Note

In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Office of the Governor were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 502, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from the Montana Office of the Governor's various Offices and Programs that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 502. Rather than reprocessing over 15 linear feet of Governor's materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids, and provide access to them via links through the central finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

  • General Correspondence

    • Description: Miscellaneous (correspondents include Supt. of Public Instruction, Carling Malouf, North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission, R.H. Willcomb, Alvin Pollock, Glenn O. Lockwood, James X. Brown, Arrow Inc.)
      Dates: 1951-1961
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Miscellaneous (correspondents include Crow Indian Celebration and Rodeo; Montronics Inc.; Robert W. Waugh; Commission on the Rights, Liberties, and Responsibilities of the American Indian; Rocky Mountain College; Association of American Indian Affairs; James R. Shaw; Blaine County Board of Commissioners; St. Labre Indian Mission)
      Dates: 1962
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 2
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Miscellaneous (correspondents include President John F. Kennedy circular letter; Association on American Indian Affairs; Northern Montana College; Montana Inter-Tribal Policy Board; American Jewish Society for Service; S.C. DeMers re civil rights area meeting; Northern Cheyenne Mennonite Mission; Robert Yellowtail)
      Dates: 1963
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 3
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Miscellaneous (correspondents include Montana Legislative Council; Robert Yellowtail; Idaho Dept. of Education; Association on American Indian Affairs; U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs; Mental Retardation Planning Project; John W. Cragun re Turtle Mountain Chippewa; Stephen C. DeMers; Northern Montana College's program for disabled Indians)
      Dates: 1964-1965
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Miscellaneous (correspondents include Association on American Indian Affairs; University of Montana Foundation Division of Indian Services; Joy Toineeta; Richard S. McDermott re land interests; State Budget Director; Sonosky and White re Indian Claims Commission extension; Wilkinson, Cragun and Barker re various legal issues; Bert Hansen)
      Dates: 1966
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Miscellaneous (correspondents include Association on American Indian Affairs; state colleges and universities enclosing lists of students attending under Indian Education Scholarships; Robert Yellowtail; Wilkinson, Cragun and Barker re various legal issues; University of Montana Foundation Division of Indian Services)
      Dates: 1967
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Miscellaneous (correspondents include University of Montana re alleged discrimination, enclosing list of Indian students; Harold J. Boyd; Kyi-yo Indian Club; Sister Providencia)
      Dates: 1968-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 7
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Miscellaneous (correspondents include Governors' Interstate Indian Council; North American Indian League)
      Dates: 1970-1971
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Congressman James Battin (re Knowles Dam, Operation Bootstrap, Federal Housing Administration, Office of Economic Opportunity)
      Dates: 1961-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Blackfeet Indian Reservation (re Indian claims contracts, oil leases, Jim Peters, grazing leases, tribal elections, Heart Butte School, school lunch program, educational grants, Industrial Redevelopment Committee, hunting and fishing, racial discrimination, vocational training)
      Dates: 1951-1962
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Blackfeet Indian Reservation (re civil law jurisdiction, death of Meade Swingley, Arkinson family, termination and relocation, proposed plastics industry, Starr School, Office of Economic Opportunity, Community Action Program, conference on Acceleration of Educational Opportunities for Blackfeet through Full Utilization of Available Resources, National Association of Blackfeet Indians, guaranteed loan program)
      Dates: 1963-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 11
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: James X. Brown (re Chippewa, Cree, and Blackfeet history; also includes current political issues including economic development at Rocky Boy's Reservation, Landless Indians, and family concerns)
      Dates: 1952-1963, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 12
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Flathead Reservation (re education, economic development, school lunches, Hot Springs bathhouse, complaints against Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes by Flathead-Kootenai Organization, hydroelectric dams, termination policy, Head Start programs, Montana Power Company's Kerr Dam)
      Dates: 1951-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 13
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Governor (re Blaine County Indian health problems, St. Labre Indian School, need for a Lame Deer High School, jurisdiction issues, Office of Economic Opportunity Poverty Program)
      Dates: 1962-1971
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 14
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Governors' Interstate Indian Council (re background of the Council, plans for meetings, common issues, etc.)
      Dates: 1961-1966
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 15-16
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: David Higgins (Cut Bank farmer re Farmers Home Administration loan program)
      Dates: 1964-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 17
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Irrigation and water resources
      Dates: 1967
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 18
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Knowles Dam (correspondents include Montana Power Company, Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Indian Rights Association, John Cragun, Hugh Downs of National Broadcasting Company)
      Dates: 1962-1963
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 19
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Mike Mansfield (re education, jurisdiction, other issues of federal policy)
      Dates: 1961-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 20
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Lee Metcalf (re education, jurisdiction, other issues of federal policy)
      Dates: 1960-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 21
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Montana Inter-Tribal Policy Board
      Dates: 1951-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 22-23
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Northern Cheyenne Tribe (re land ownership, health care, First Americans Inc., St. Labre Mission, economic development, Lame Deer School)
      Dates: 1951-1962
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 24
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Northern Cheyenne Tribe (re economic development, housing, Lame Deer School, Northern Cheyenne Arts and Crafts Association, school lunch program, John Wooden Legs' report on progress during his administration)
      Dates: 1963-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Arnold Olsen (re Flathead Reservation schools, health care, other federal policy issues)
      Dates: 1962-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 2
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Prison inmates (re parole, commutation of sentences, etc.)
      Dates: 1952-1961
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 3
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Rocky Boy's Reservation (re petitions on several federal bills, economic development, health care, Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Lutheran Mission Advisory Committee, Community Action Program)
      Dates: 1950-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 4
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Robert Yellowtail (re termination policy, opposition to building of Yellowtail Dam, land issues, politics, Indian memorial at Fort Wadsworth, civil rights legislation, individual economic responsibility, heirship lands)
      Dates: 1962-1968
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 5-6
      Location: General Correspondence

  • Financial Records

    • Description: Budget
      Dates: 1956-1961
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 7
      Location: Financial Records

  • Organization

    • Description: Description of goals and duties of Coordinator of Indian Affairs; criticism of a proposed state Indian Commission
      Dates: circa 1967
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 8
      Location: Organization

  • Printed Material

    • Description: List of printed materials transferred to Library
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 9
      Location: Printed Material
    • Description: Legislative bulletin
      Dates: 1963
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 9a
      Location: Printed Material
    • Description: Bulletins
      Dates: 1962, 1965
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 9b-9c
      Location: Printed Material

  • Subject Files

    • Description: Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (includes constitution, annual convention materials, reports on meetings, resolutions, speeches, clippings)
      Dates: 1962-1968
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 10
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Blackfeet Reservation (includes financial statements, Blackfeet Tribe vs. Dillon S. Myer et al. record, proposed revisions to constitution, analysis of expenditures of School District 7, donation of land for missile base, charter of Blackfeet Indian Housing Authority, resolution re compulsory school attendance, Economic Development Administration planning grant, evaluation of Community Action Agency, description of sweat lodge)
      Dates: 1952-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 11
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Compulsory school attendance (primarily re Fort Peck Reservation; also includes tribal resolutions for each reservation endorsing compulsory school attendance)
      Dates: 1948-1961
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 12
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Cooperative Area Manpower Planning System [CAMPS] (includes explanation of program, minutes, descriptions of programs, etc.)
      Dates: 1969-1971
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 13-16
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Crow Reservation (includes resolution on sale of land to individual families, Crow Indian Fair and Rodeo, Crow Tribe vs. Bureau of Reclamation, evaluation of Head Start program, Community Action Program, "Investment Opportunities on the Crow Reservation Montana")
      Dates: 1951-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 17
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Federal reimbursement to schools (includes "Montana Plan for Education Reimbursement to School Districts by the Bureau of Indian Affairs," lists of eligible districts, budgets)
      Dates: 1955-1963
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 18-19
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Flathead Reservation (includes minutes of Tribal Council of Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes; hearing on Earl Sanders' activities as chief of police; chronology of health care by Sisters of Charity; reports; brochures; list of tribal members; financial records)
      Dates: 1951-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 20-22
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Flathead Reservation (re federal reimbursements to schools)
      Dates: 1961-1962
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Flathead Reservation (re hydroelectric projects, including Knowles, Kerr, and Buffalo Rapids dams)
      Dates: 1962-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 2
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Fort Belknap Reservation (includes correspondence; resolutions re schools; statement by Richard King [Bob- Tail Horse]; Head Start Program; report on "Poverty and Promise for the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, Montana"; personnel policies)
      Dates: 1951-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 3
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Fort Peck Reservation (includes correspondence; Head Start Program; "Fort Peck Caravan: a Study of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation by the Montana Human Relations Committee"; application for Community Action Program grant; Neighborhood Youth Corps)
      Dates: 1954-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 4
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Governors' Interstate Indian Council (includes lists of delegates, programs, resolutions, Robert Yellowtail analysis of Robert L. Bennett Report, lists of federal programs, minutes, agendas)
      Dates: 1951-1968
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 5-7
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Helena Indian Alliance (includes minutes, bulletins)
      Dates: 1968-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 8
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Housing (re Federal Housing Program for Indian Reservations, Housing for the Elderly Program)
      Dates: 1961-1962, 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 9
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Indian education (includes letter by Sister Providencia, circular re Indian scholarships, White House Conference on Children and Youth report, Indian Affairs Manual, statement by Mary M. Condon, report on children of Hill 57, "An Analysis of Federal Reimbursement to Heart Butte School District #1", report on pre-vocational training, multi-state university consortium)
      Dates: 1950-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 10-11
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Industrial development (includes correspondence, "The Future of Montana" by George W. O'Connor)
      Dates: 1957-1963
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 12
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Industrialization Conference (includes correspondence, conference program, report on field visitation)
      Dates: 1957-1961
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 13
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Industry: Montronics, Inc. (re meetings of company with the various reservations re possible location of plant for communications and frequency measurement)
      Dates: 1962
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 14
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Industry: nuclear waste storage (re proposed location of storage facility for Hanford by-products on Blackfeet Reservation)
      Dates: 1961-1964
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 15
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Institute on Indian Affairs in Montana (includes programs)
      Dates: 1955-1958
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 16
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Kerr Dam (re payments to Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes)
      Dates: 1965-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 17
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Knowles Dam (includes preliminary study, presentation by Montana Power Company in opposition to dam, hearings, opposition of Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes)
      Dates: 1958-1965
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 18-19
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Law enforcement (includes correspondence re compulsory school attendance, drivers licenses, jurisdiction issues, Indian Law and Order Conference, Indian Law Seminar, testimony re legislation, clippings)
      Dates: 1948-1966
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 20-21
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Legislation, general
      Dates: 1951-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 22-23
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Legislation, Commission on Indian Affairs
      Dates: 1954
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 24
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Legislation, federal
      Dates: 1965-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 25
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Legislation, heirship
      Dates: 1961-1966
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 26
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Legislation, income taxes
      Dates: 1965-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 26
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Legislation, Indian Resources Development Act ("Omnibus Bill")
      Dates: 1966-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 1
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Legislation, peyote (re Native American Church, includes report by Bureau of Indian Affairs)
      Dates: 1956-1966
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 2
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Legislation, recommendations
      Dates: 1950, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 3
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Legislation, school transportation
      Dates: 1950-1952, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 4
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Mental Retardation Planning Project
      Dates: 1964-1968
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 5
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Montana Conference on Children and Youth
      Dates: 1951
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 6
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Montana Crime Control Commission
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 7
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Montana Inter-Tribal Policy Board (includes constitution, bylaws, minutes, and resolutions)
      Dates: 1952-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 8-10
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Montana Tourism Conference
      Dates: 1962
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 11
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: National Congress of American Indians (includes constitution, bylaws, minutes, resolutions, reports on legislation, circular letters, bulletins)
      Dates: 1954-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 12-13
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: National Congress of American Indians: American Indian Charter Convention
      Dates: 1960
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 14
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: National Council on Indian Opportunity
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 15
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Northern Cheyenne (includes tourist center, report re proposed settlement before Indian Claims Commission, proposed summer college workshops, Community Action Program)
      Dates: 1962-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 16
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Northern Cheyenne: housing
      Dates: 1962-1964
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 17
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Northern Cheyenne: industry (includes report on resource development plan, correspondence re proposed plastics factory, tannery, Guild Arts and Crafts Inc.)
      Dates: 1952, 1961-1966
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 18
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Northern Cheyenne: Lame Deer Schools (includes proposal by First Americans Inc. to use old school building for factory, proposed high school)
      Dates: 1957, 1963-1965
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 19
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Northern Cheyenne: St. Labre Mission (includes charity appeals by Rev. Emmett Hoffman, newsletter of St. Labre Indian School)
      Dates: 1958-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 20
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Oil production on tax exempt land: Glacier County
      Dates: 1958-1962
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 21
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Oil production on tax exempt land: Pondera County
      Dates: 1959-1963
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 22
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Oil production on tax exempt land: Poplar
      Dates: 1958-1959
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 23
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Population statistics
      Dates: 1950-1963
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 24
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: President Kennedy's Task Force on Indian Affairs
      Dates: 1961
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 25
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Rocky Boy's Reservation (includes report on economic development plan, newsletter, Community Action Program, report on landless Indians)
      Dates: 1951-1967, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 26
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Rocky Boy's Reservation: education (includes correspondence with Havre Public Schools, agreement between Havre Public Schools and Bureau of Indian Affairs, plans for Rocky Boy School, proposed budgets)
      Dates: 1957-1961
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 1
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Scholarships: John Whitney Hay Foundation (for advanced study)
      Dates: 1952-1962
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 2
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Scholarships: Society of Colonial Dames (for nurses' training)
      Dates: 1951-1961
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 3
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Scholarships: United Scholarship Service Inc. (for American Indian or Spanish-American students; includes lists of recipients)
      Dates: 1958-1966
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 4
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Scholarships: miscellaneous (includes Colorado College summer program, lists of students attending branches of University of Montana, Crow Tribal Scholarship Program)
      Dates: 1951-1966
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 5
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Schools: Babb (includes statistical data, budgets, applications for federal aid, lists of eligible students)
      Dates: 1959-1964
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 6
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Schools: East Glacier (includes statistical data, budgets, applications for federal aid, lists of eligible students)
      Dates: 1959-1963
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 7
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Schools: Heart Butte (includes statistical data, budgets, applications for federal aid, lists of eligible students)
      Dates: 1958-1963
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 8
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Schools: Poplar (includes statistical data, budgets, applications for federal aid)
      Dates: 1955-1961
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 9
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: State jurisdiction on Indian reservations (includes Great Falls' Hill 57, Indian Self-Help Bill, testimony and resolutions re bills for state criminal and/or civil jurisdiction, clippings, comparisons with other states)
      Dates: 1957-1975, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 10-11
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Termination of federal supervision over tribal lands (includes Northern Cheyenne proposal to buy back land from individual families)
      Dates: 1959-1965
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 12
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Tribal Leaders Conference (includes speech by Robert L. Bennett, and reports on conditions on each Montana reservation)
      Dates: 1966
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 13
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: United States Bureau of Indian Affairs (includes memo on Indian Social and Economic Improvement, summary of land ownership on reservations, correspondence, report of Robert L. Bennett, removal of Gilbert Morgan as Fort Belknap realty assistant, mineral prospecting on Indian reservations, agreement with Montana Division of Vocational Rehabilitation)
      Dates: 1949-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 14
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: United States Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare (re tuberculosis)
      Dates: 1957, 1967-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 15
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: United States Office of Economic Opportunity (re War on Poverty Programs on Montana reservations)
      Dates: 1963-1966
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 16
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: White House Conference on Children and Youth (includes report of special conference by Arrow Inc. to plan Indian participation in conference, report of committee on problems of Indian youth)
      Dates: 1959-1960
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 17
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Work training programs (re "Bill to provide for the economic development of the resources of individual Indians and Indian tribes, and for other purposes")
      Dates: 1966-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 18
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Robert Yellowtail (includes writings)
      Dates: 1963-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 19
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Yellowtail Dam (includes article by Wilson F. Clark and Robert Yellowtail, brochures)
      Dates: 1956-1963
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 20
      Location: Subject Files

  • Miscellany

    • Description: Equal Employment Opportunity Seminar proceedings
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 21
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Governors' Advisory Council meeting on Indian Affairs proceedings
      Dates: 1951
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 22
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Helena Indian Conference proceedings
      Dates: 1966
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 23
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Montana Indian tourism conference proceedings
      Dates: 1965
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 24
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: State organizations for coordination of Indian affairs questionnaire
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 25
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Miscellaneous (includes dedication of Henrietta Crockett Indian Wing of Montana Tuberculosis Sanitarium, party platforms, remarks of Tim Babcock at dinner honoring Governor Knowles, statistics on Indian highway deaths, proclamation by Gov. John Bonner, list of Indian dancers, "New Horizons in Indian Arts and Crafts")
      Dates: 1952-1967, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 26
      Location: Miscellany

  • Clippings

    • Description: Education
      Dates: 1930-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 27
      Location: Clippings
    • Description: Juvenile delinquency
      Dates: 1960-1961
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 28
      Location: Clippings
    • Description: Indian programs, Economic Development Rights
      Dates: 1954-1968
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 29
      Location: Clippings
    • Description: Hill 57, Great Falls
      Dates: 1961
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 30
      Location: Clippings
    • Description: Political philosophy of K.W. Bergen
      Dates: 1961
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 31
      Location: Clippings

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Assiniboine Indians
  • Atsina Indians
  • Blackfeet Indians
  • Cheyenne Indians
  • Chippewa Indians
  • Cree Indians
  • Crow Indians
  • Dakota Indians
  • Electric power--Montana
  • Grazing leases--Montana
  • Indians of North America
  • Indians of North America--Education--Montana
  • Indians of North America--Government relations--Montana
  • Indians of North America--Health and hygiene--Montana
  • Indians of North America--Legal status, laws, etc.--Montana
  • Indians of North America--Politics and government--Montana
  • Indians of North America--Public welfare--Montana
  • Indians of North America--Reservations--Montana
  • Irrigation--Montana
  • Landless Indians--Montana
  • Petroleum industry and trade--Montana
  • Radioactive waste disposal--Montana
  • Salish Indians
  • Salish Indians
  • Scholarships--Montana

Geographical Names

  • Blackfeet Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Crow Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Flathead Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Fort Belknap Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Fort Peck Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Kerr Dam (Mont.)
  • Knowles Dam (Mont.)
  • Missouri River Watershed
  • Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Rocky Boys Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • St. Ignatius (Mont.)
  • Wind River Indian Reservation (Wyo.)
  • Yellowtail Dam (Mont.)

Finding aid prepared by MTHS Staff; Updated by Lindsey Mick
2004; 2025

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