Presidents of the Board of Directors

1884-1921	Cardinal James Gibbons (1834-1921)
1921-1951	Cardinal Denis J. Dougherty (1865-1951)
1951-1967	Cardinal Francis J. Spellman (1889-1967)
1967-1974	Cardinal Lawrence Shehan (1898-1984)
1974-1988	Cardinal John J. Kroll (1910-1996)
1988-2000	Archbishop William D. Borders (1913-)
2000-2003	Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua (1923-)

2003-present

Cardinal William H. Keeler (1931-)

Secretaries

1884-1925	Reverend Edward R. Dyer, S.S. (1854-1925)
1925-1976	Reverend John B. Tennelly, S.S. (1890-1981)
1976-2007	Monsignor Paul A. Lenz (1925-)

2007-present

Reverend Wayne C. Paysse

Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, Series 1 General Correspondence: The correspondence is arranged either alphabetically or by year and there under alphabetically. Geographical access can be achieved through the author index via the names of prospective local correspondents, e.g. bishops, pastors. If these names are not known, consult the Commission Series 5, Diocesan Correspondence, Reports, and Applications, the Guides to Catholic-Related Records about Native Americans in the United States, http://www.marquette.edu/library/collections/archives/teaching.html, and the Official Catholic Directory and related catalogs, directories, and website, http://www.marquette.edu/library/collections/archives/CatholicDirectories/CD-sc.html.  

Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, Series 1 Index of Correspondence:  The index is complete through 1980 and includes all correspondents with the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions and the Commission for Catholic Missions among the Colored People and the Indians, except the directors while in office, i.e. Reverend Tennelley, 1935-1976, and Monsignor Lenz, 1976-1980. The names are alphabetized by surnames, if known or forenames when surnames are not given, along with titles and initials designating religious order affiliations, e.g. example1, Sister Mary, O.S.F. Places of residence are also included, if known. Persons with name variations are cross-indexed. Native American ethnicity is included, if known. In some instances, native ethnicity was confirmed through cross-referencing with Series 2-1 Bureau School Records and other sources that confirmed affinities between specific surnames and ethnic groups.

Between 1977-1980 and in 1997, Marquette University microfilmed Series 1 through 1975 with the exception of scant amounts of oversight correspondence, 1953-1975. Other series within the records of the Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians and other Marquette University collections also contain documentation relating to this series.

The Series 1 Index of Correspondence exists in card form only. The Marquette Archives welcomes queries and will provide pertinent excerpts upon request. 

Series 1-2, Reverend Edward R. Dyer, S.S., Part 1: The correspondence of Reverend Dyer, the first Secretary, begins with facsimiles in Series 1-2, [1875-1919], n.d. The papers are arranged alphabetically by surname and include letters from the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions. A few letters date from before establishment of the Commission for the Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians in 1884. The Sulpician U.S. Province Archives produced the facsimiles in 1995 from the original Reverend Edward R. Dyer, S.S., Papers, Record Group 10, Box 13 of the Sulpician U.S. Province Archives, Baltimore, Maryland. Marquette University microfilmed this series in 1997. Marquette University has microfilmed this series through 1919.  

Series 1-1 (Originals and Microfilm), Reverend Edward R. Dyer, S.S., Part 2: The correspondence of Reverend Dyer, regarding the Commission for Catholic Missions among the Colored People and the Indians, continues within Series 1-1 of the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records. It is interspersed by year within category “50-General” and then alphabetized under “Commission for Catholic Missions among the Colored People and the Indians.” Marquette University has microfilmed this series, which includes some early ledger-book copies with marginal legibility.

Series 1-1 (Originals and Microfilm), Reverend John B. Tennelly, S.S.: The correspondence of Reverend Tennelly, regarding the Commission for Catholic Missions among the Colored People and the Indians, is located within Series 1-1 of the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records. It is interspersed by year within category “50-General” and then alphabetized under “Commission for Catholic Missions among the Colored People and the Indians.” Marquette University has microfilmed this series through 1975. Not included are correspondence from 1976 and a small folder of oversight correspondence from 1953 to 1975.

Series 1-1, Monsignor Paul A. Lenz: General correspondence of the administration of Monsignor Paul A. Lenz, sixth director of the Bureau and third Secretary of the Black and Indian Mission Office (Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians). These records have not been processed for research. Records after 1982 are restricted for 25 years (2008-[ongoing]). 

Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, Series 5, Diocesan Correspondence, Reports, and Applications: Correspondence, reports, and applications for aid from dioceses throughout the United States. To 1976, the records are divided into separate sub-series for American Indian or Native American and Colored, Negro, Black, or African American evangelization, which are arranged alphabetically by diocese followed at the end by the Diocese of Vancouver, Canada, for Alaska until 1909. After 1976, the records for all dioceses are combined, however the applications and reporting forms maintain separate Native American and African American categories. The applications describe evangelization needs for funding and the reports describe how the current year's funds have been used and the results that have been realized. The sub-series are arranged alphabetically by diocese and then chronologically by year. Also included is related diocesan correspondence, statistical reports on African American missions, and statistical summaries on Native American missions and schools. This series has been microfilmed through 1976 and is restricted after 1980. Other series within the records of the Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians and other Marquette University collections also contain documentation relating to this series.

Note that oftentimes some exceptions were made to fund evangelization beyond the scope of Native and African American evangelization in the United States proper. As noted in the chronology above, some mission work in Texas, the Philippines, and the U.S. Pacific territories was funded as Native American evangelization whereas some in the Bahamas and Haiti was funded as African American evangelization.  

Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, Series 6, Financial Records: Comprised of cash books, financial statements and compilations, and balance sheets, which are arranged by type of record and there under chronologically. The records have been microfilmed through 1952. Other series within the records of the Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians and other Marquette University collections also contain documentation relating to this series.

Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, Series 7, Publications: The publications are divided into newsletters and general publications. The newsletters include four titles, which succeed each other: Mission Work Among the Negroes and the Indians, 1886-1925, Our Negro and Indian Missions, 1926-1976, The Quarterly, 1977-1995, and The Annual Report of the Black and Indian Home Mission Collection, 1996-. The general publications consist of appeal letters and posters. This series has been microfilmed through 1976. Other series within the records of the Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians and other Marquette University collections also contain documentation relating to this series.

Work in-progress: The Marquette University Libraries are developing bibliographic records for the publications in this collection. This includes all books, pamphlets, magazines, newsletters, prayer cards, published maps, published sound and video recordings, etc., and excludes clipping files and reprints of articles. As they are created, the bibliographic records will appear in Marqcat, the Marquette University online catalog. Furthermore, as an interim and supplemental search tool, most titles to publications in this and related collections appear in the Index to Publications in Native America Collections. 

Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, Series 9, Photography: Prints collected pertaining to African Americans in the United States with the photography divided into sub-series by format, i.e. Black & White and Color Prints. The prints for both series are contained in folders arranged alphabetically by U.S. states and the District of Columbia, followed by foreign countries and there under by communities and Catholic institutions. Other series within the records of the Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians and other Marquette University collections also contain documentation relating to this series.

For each folder, the dates noted are limited to the first and last known years when images were created with intervening years, if any, not included. These are followed by “n.d.” for “no dates” to indicate undated images. In addition, staff may determine and note approximate dates in parentheses as follows:   

·         “n.d. (Received Commission for Catholic Missions among the Colored People and the Indians)” = No creation years known; the years given identify when the Commission received the images, which typically was less than five years after they were taken.   

·         “n.d. (Used Our Negro and Indian Missions)” or “n.d. (Used Other Title)” = No creation years known; the years given identify when Our Negro and Indian Missions or Other Title first published the images, which typically was less than 10 years after they were taken. 

·           "n.d." (ca. year-year) = No creation years known; the years given identify the approximate years derived from clues within the images and related text.

The institutions listed are mostly local churches and schools and were the sources for the Commission’s photography. Most photographs within these folders document local events of the institutions and nearby communities. However, many nearby communities also have separate institutions and corresponding folders as do those distant places that have been identified. Events located far from the institutions that sent the photographs, including those taken out-of-state and outside of the United States, are arranged by the place where the photographs were taken rather than by the institution that provided the prints.

Series 9-2, Black & White Prints: The series includes a few black and white photographs by professional photographers from before 1930, which were taken at missions and schools and special events. By 1920, pastors with consumer-grade portable cameras began photographing African American life and Catholic evangelization, which is reflected in the collection.

Series 9-2, Color Prints: The series includes a few color prints.

Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, Series 13, Maps: This series included the U.S. map, Catholic Percent of Black Population, 1982.

Work in-progress: The Marquette University Libraries are developing bibliographic records for the publications in this collection. This includes all books, pamphlets, magazines, newsletters, prayer cards, published maps, published sound and video recordings, etc., and excludes clipping files and reprints of articles. As they are created, the bibliographic records will appear in Marqcat, the Marquette University online catalog. Furthermore, as an interim and supplemental search tool, most titles to publications in this and related collections appear in the Index to Publications in Native America Collections. 

Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, Series 14-2, General Publications: Monograph and serial publications on Catholic evangelization of African Americans, which were collected by the Commission. Some items include contributions by Commission personnel or research conducted with Commission documentation. The arrangement is alphabetical by key word. Other series within the records of the Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians and other Marquette University collections also contain documentation relating to this series.

Work in-progress: The Marquette University Libraries are developing bibliographic records for the publications in this collection. This includes all books, pamphlets, magazines, newsletters, prayer cards, published maps, published sound and video recordings, etc., and excludes clipping files and reprints of articles. As they are created, the bibliographic records will appear in Marqcat, the Marquette University online catalog. Furthermore, as an interim and supplemental search tool, most titles to publications in this and related collections appear in the Index to Publications in Native America Collections. 

Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, Series 16, Government Publications: The other U.S. Department of the Interior documents (Series 16-1-4) include Black Education, 1928, 1930-1931, which pertains to African Americans. All other U.S. Government documents in this series pertain to Native Americans. Other series within the records of the Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians and other Marquette University collections also contain documentation relating to this series.

Work in-progress: The Marquette University Libraries are developing bibliographic records for the publications in this collection. This includes all books, pamphlets, magazines, newsletters, prayer cards, published maps, published sound and video recordings, etc., and excludes clipping files and reprints of articles. As they are created, the bibliographic records will appear in Marqcat, the Marquette University online catalog. Furthermore, as an interim and supplemental search tool, most titles to publications in this and related collections appear in the Index to Publications in Native America Collections.