Christianity and Native America

Why Marquette?

Background: Catholic evangelization of the Americas' aboriginal Indian peoples is an ongoing story of epic proportions. It is a saga on spreading the Gospel for over 500 years and it is a struggle for peace and justice, cultural accommodation, and the development of indigenous Christian faith communities.

Deacon with pine boughs in his hands in Tekakwitha Conference procession, St. James Cathedral, Seattle Washington, 1993

A deacon processed before Mass at the Tekakwitha Conference, St. James Cathedral, Seattle, Washington, 1993. Tekakwitha Conference Records, Anne M. Scheurman, photographer.

With its centralized bureaucracy, numerous religious orders and dioceses, and access to substantial financial resources, the Catholic Church has been able to maintain mission programs on an extraordinary scale. Moreover, a number of its missionaries, especially Jesuits, have had classical educations and linguistic training, which enabled them to create extensive writings on indigenous life and languages, especially as these related to the Church and interaction with officials of Church and state.

Mindful of its mission as a Catholic university, and recognizing the value and preservation needs of Church records pertaining to Native American peoples, the Marquette University Department of Special Collections and University Archives made a commitment to collect and preserve this unique heritage. Marquette actively solicits and makes accessible collections of organizational records, personal papers, oral histories, and audio/visual recordings. Marquette also acquires individual photographs, newsletters, recordings, and other documentation pertaining to Native Catholic activities as well as the products of research that benefited from its collections. Of particular interest are notable "at risk" collections that otherwise might not be saved without outside intervention. Furthermore, the department may accept other compatible collections relating to indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Since 1977, the department has acquired the records of the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, the Tekakwitha Conference, and more than 50 other collections, which document over 100 native peoples from portions of Canada (Alberta, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec), Guatemala, Mexico (Chiapas), and the United States (Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming). While English is the prevailing language, Cheyenne, Choctaw, Dakota [Lakota], French, German, Ojibwa, and Spanish are also used. In addition, the library's general collection holds over 30,000 titles pertaining to Native American peoples.

Marquette University provides donors with a variety of advantages and opportunities . Prospective donors are invited to Ask an Archivist about their archival needs.

Hispanic Catholicism in Latin America: The collections document missionary and national activities of church and state. They include the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions (Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, 1870s-ongoing), Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Digital (Arizona, California, New Mexico, 1900s-ongoing), Catholic Worker Movement (Texas, Mexico City and Chiapas, Mexico and Guatemala, 1980-ongoing), the Conrad N. Hilton Fund for Sisters (Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru, 1986-ongoing), the Della M. Flusche (Chile, 17-18th centuries), Dioceses of San Cristobal las Casas (Chiapas, Mexico, 1540-1698), Ricardo Falla-Sanchez, S.J. (Guatemala, 1937-1984), The Indian Sentinel (Arizona, California and New Mexico, 1902-1962), Penny Lernoux (Latin America, 1978-1989), Luigi G. Ligutti (Latin America, 1915-1984), National Catholic Rural Life Conference (Latin America, 1943-1971), Proyecto Pastoral Maya (United States, 1992-2005), and Sister Relationship Programs (Chiapas, Mexico and Guatemala, 1960-1980s).

French Catholicism in North America: The collections document missionary and national activities of church and state. They include Julius M. Belleau (North Dakota and Manitoba, 1815-1880), Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions (Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, 1850s-ongoing), Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Digital (Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, 1850s-ongoing). the Conrad N. Hilton Fund for Sisters (Canada, 1986-ongoing), The Indian Sentinel (Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, 1902-1962), Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents (Great Lakes and Mississippi River, 17th century); Kisemanito Centre, Alberta, Canada, 1976-1987; Père Marquette (commemorations, 1897-ongoing), North American French Regime (Great Lakes and Mississippi River, 1593-1977), and In the Spotlight (January 2009-Catholic ladder pictorial catechisms, 19-20th centuries).

Anglo Catholicism in North America: The collections document Catholic missionary concerns and reflects the westward expansion of the United States. They include the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions (United States, 1874-), The Indian Sentinel(United States, 1902-1962), Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Digital (United States, 1850s-ongoing), Conception Abbey (North and South Dakota, 1876-1980), Sister Mary Ewens, O.P. (Alaska, North Dakota and South Dakota, 1882-1987), Conrad N. Hilton Fund for Sisters (Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, and New Mexico, 1986-), Holy Rosary Mission - Red Cloud Indian School (South Dakota, 1888-), Holy Rosary Mission - Red Cloud Indian School Digital (South Dakota, 1890s-), Marquette League (United States, 1904-1991), Osage Mission (Kansas, 1847-1872), Sacred Heart Franciscans (Arizona, California, Michigan and Wisconsin, 1829-1981), St. Francis Mission (South Dakota, 1886-), St. Francis Mission Digital (South Dakota, 1890s-1920s), St. John the Baptist-Santa Barbara Franciscans (Arizona and New Mexico, 1873-1922), St. Joseph's Indian School Oral History Project (Wisconsin, 1883-1980), St. Mary's Mission (Kansas, 1851-1871), St. Paul's Mission (South Dakota, 1867-1989), and St. Stephen's Mission (Wyoming, 1880s-), Soaring Eagle - Reverend Emmett Hoffmann Heritage Project (Montana, 1930s-1979) and Tekakwitha Conference (Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, 1939-1970s).

Signing the Lord's Prayer in Plains Indian Sign Language at Tekakwitha Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, 1984

Angel McFarland Sobotta (Nez Perce) signed the Lord's Prayer in Plains Indian Sign Language at the Tekakwitha Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, 1984. Tekakwitha Conference Records, Anne M. Scheurman, photographer.

Native Catholicism Revitalized in North America: Several collections document the renewal of faith by Native Americans and the Church's efforts to meet their pastoral needs since the mid-20th century. They include the Association of Native Religious and Clergy (Canada and the United States, 1970s-1990s), Congregation of the Great Spirit, (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1980-), Inculturation Task Forces (United States; Arizona, New Mexico and South Dakota, 1993-2003), Kateri Tekakwitha Project Oral History (Arizona, New Mexico and South Dakota, 1994-1995), Kisemanito Centre (Alberta, Canada, 1976-1987), St. Isaac Jogues Church (Rapid City, South Dakota, 1983-), Anne M. Scheurman (Canada and the United States, 1973-), Siggenauk Center (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1974-1980), Sioux Spiritual Center (South Dakota, 1990-) and the Tekakwitha Conference (Canada and United States, 1980s-).

FAQ

Historic Directories: Many different types of directories, such as city directories, occupational and professional directories, ethnic directories and church directories are created for contemporary reference purposes, and also serve as useful tools for historical research. More information .

Catholic-related records about Native Americans at other repositories: Marquette's Guides to Catholic-Related Records about Native Americans in the United States describe the holdings of related archival records not at Marquette University. The entries for missions, parishes, dioceses, and the religious institutes (or orders) of men and women also include chronologies to illuminate involvement with Native Americans. Geographical listings divide the current repositories by country, region, and state, and a master subject index includes all Catholic and Native American groups identified in the records and all past and present institutions that have held the records. Native ethnic group (tribal) entries are followed by sub-entries listing only those repositories with record holdings of genealogical value. The Helps section of volume 5 also contains a listing of archival repositories of non-Catholic church records, a number of which contain genealogical value.

Genealogy: At Marquette, most records with genealogical value are school records, which are restricted by The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Microfilm versions of these records will not be loaned. However, following consultation with an archivist, patrons may use these records on-site in the archives reading room or archives staff will conduct genealogical searches for patrons who submit a completed Application for Genealogical Query.

Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records, Series 2-1 School Attendance Records: These records contain the bulk of Marquette's Native American-related records with genealogical value. Patrons are invited to consult the master lists of surnames to these school records. This index remains incomplete. Nonetheless, it contains many, if not most, of the surnames found among students who attended U.S. Catholic schools for American Indians outside of Alaska. It provides surnames, ethnicity, two-letter postal abbreviations of the state where the school was located, and the number of the box that contained the record. A few non-Indians also attended these schools. If listed in the reports, they are also included and their ethnicity is noted accordingly.

Introduction | Surnames A-D | Surnames E-L | Surnames M-R | Surnames S-Z

More information about the background of these school attendance records.

Patrons are also invited to consult Marquette's Guides to Catholic-Related Records about Native Americans in the United States, which includes records of genealogical value at other archival repositories.

Native Americans and Native American Imagery at Marquette University: More information and bibliography about American Indians in the Marquette community and Marquette's use of Indian imagery in its logo/ flag, sports team mascots/ nicknames and Native American celebrations.

Reading Photographs: More information to help interpret historic photographs, especially those about Native Americans.

Past research: The department maintains lists of writings about African Americans and Native Americans that involved research with its collections.

Access and Services

Marquette welcomes public use of its collections. However, for optimum service, patrons are invited to consult with the archivist before their first use of Marquette materials and thereafter as needed. All original items must be used in the department's reading room whereas most microfilm and many publications and recordings may be borrowed through interlibrary loan. To insure the immediate availability of materials and audiovisual equipment, appointments are advised for all on-site research. Restricted materials are subject to special regulations and are not available through interlibrary loan.

Service Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and evening and weekend hours by appointment. Photographic identification is required for access to the Raynor Memorial Libraries. For further information see General Information and Services and contact:

Mark G. Thiel, CA (Certified Archivist), Archivist
Marquette University
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
R360 John P. Raynor, S.J., Library
1355 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233

Raynor Memorial Libraries
P.O. Box 3141
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-3141

Telephone: (414) 288-5904
Fax: (414) 288-6709
mark.thiel@marquette.edu

ALL VISITORS AND RESEARCHERS ARE WELCOME