Indians of North America

Franklin William Hooper requests Theodore Roosevelt attend a meeting to establish the National Association for the Preservation of the American Indian. The association will especially seek to preserve the North American Indians in Arizona and New Mexico who live in isolation but whose traditions, arts, industries, and towns are “historic monuments of an ancient culture.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-16

Creator(s)

Hooper, Franklin William, 1851-1914

Newspaper article about Commissioner of Indian Affairs Francis E. Leupp.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-28

Creator(s)

Unknown

President Roosevelt asks the Department of Justice to give special attention to the request of Commissioner of Indian Affairs Francis E. Leupp, feeling “a peculiar obligation to see that the Indians…where possible be protected by the courts.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt tells Frank C. Frantz, Governor of Oklahoma Territory, that he cannot make the announcement that Frantz has requested, but will make every effort to prevent graft in the territory and protect Indians that need it. Roosevelt has particular affection for Oklahoma and Indian Territory.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Senator Robert M. La Follette has met with Commissioner of Indian Affairs Francis E. Leupp and discussed their disagreements over a bill concerning Choctaw and Chickasaw coal lands. La Follette may support Leupp’s provisions, but he feels that the bill, leaving out any reference to the Choctaw and Chickasaw lands, should be introduced today.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-22

Creator(s)

Unknown

Cherokee Indian and attorney John M. Taylor sends President Roosevelt a silver spoon that pictures Sequoyah, the statesman who invented the Cherokee alphabet. Taylor has read Winning of the West and feels that Roosevelt has given a correct history of the North American Indian.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-22

Creator(s)

Taylor, John M. (John Manchester), 1858-1934

Charles J. Bonaparte writes to President Roosevelt about law services he provided. He drafted a brief about contracts made by the former Indian Commissioner involving payments to religious schools out of Indian tribal funds. Bonaparte provides a detailed description of the circumstances involved in the situation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-28

Creator(s)

Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921

List of major government expenditures for 1904.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904

Creator(s)

Unknown

Grenville M. Dodge tells President Roosevelt about Jim Bridger. Bridger had been a guide to the United States Government parties exploring the West during the 1850s and Dodge wants to bring recognition to his accomplishments by sharing his story.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-19

Creator(s)

Dodge, Grenville M., 1831-1916

In the upper left-hand corner is a Native American man standing in a canoe with a stick with “1607” in the corner. The rest of the cartoon is a much larger President Roosevelt holding a “big stick” and standing on a battleship cruising into the “Jamestown Exposition” in 1907.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-28

German Emperor William II watches as President Roosevelt—dressed in Native American attire—and William Jennings Bryan—dressed in Philippine native attire—face each other.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-15

Creator(s)

Rogers, W. A. (William Allen), 1854-1931

Message given by President Roosevelt to Congress at the beginning of the second session of the Fifty-seventh Congress in which Roosevelt describes his legislative priorities for the year.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1902

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Thomas Alexander Wood, Grand Commander of the Indian War Veterans, writes to Governor Roosevelt asking for help in the passage of House Bill 53 and Senate Bill 340, which would provide benefits for Veterans of the Indian Wars.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1900-02-10

Creator(s)

Wood, Thomas Alexander, 1837-1904

N. E. Mitchell sends President Roosevelt a Navajo blanket which was “captured along with Geronimo and his band.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901

Creator(s)

Mitchell, N. E.

In the interior of a frontier cabin, a long table is set for a Christmas turkey dinner. Around the table are seated several people, some of whom are surprised to discover an arrow stuck in the turkey, shot by a Native standing outside the open door of the cabin.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-12-05

President Roosevelt directs Secretary of War Taft to order Colonel Hugh Lenox Scott to Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico to investigate charges made by Howard R. Antes against troops serving under Captain Harry O. Williard and William T. Shelton, superintendent of the San Juan Indian School. The troops recently arrested By-a-lil-le, a Navajo medicine man and leader and ten of his followers. Shelton played a part in the affair. En route, Scott should stop in Oklahoma to secure the services of “one or two” Native Americans to accompany and assist him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt seeks to call Senator Allison’s attention to the need for increased appropriations for education and support of Native Americans in Alaska, along with the support of the reindeer industry. Roosevelt briefly comments on the need for expanded actions by the Bureau of Education to promote sanitation and health in Native American villages. Roosevelt urges that congress provide the full appropriation that Secretary of the Interior James Rudolph Garfield has asked for.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt thanks Chief May-zhuc-ke-ge-shig for the letter, and says that he will prize the pipe and bead-bag.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt is glad that his son Kermit Roosevelt liked his message, and has sent him a copy. Endicott and Fannie Peabody visited the White House recently, and the Roosevelts enjoyed their visit. Roosevelt says that he was able to go on several walks with Endicott Peabody, and tells Kermit a humorous story about an incident that occurred on one of the walks. Roosevelt also mentions a recent visit to the White House from some Native Americans.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt admits he was mistaken after seeing several quotes that William Myall sent him. Roosevelt appears to have said that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were introduced to the eating of dogs by Native Americans, but cannot find a quotation that directly attributes this to them. Roosevelt briefly mentions his own experience eating dog at Native American feasts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919