University of Oklahoma Libraries

Western History Collections

Wilma P. Mankiller Collection

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Wilma Pearl Mankiller was born in 1945 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and became the first woman chief of a Native American tribe in modern history. She served as Deputy and Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, and throughout her career spoke out for the rights of Native Americans. An ardent activist and feminist, Mankiller was inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame (1986), the International Women's Forum Hall of Fame (1992), the National Women's Hall of Fame (1993), and has received the Distinguished Leadership Award of the Harvard Foundation. In addition, she was chosen as one of the Fifty Great Americans by Who's Who. She is the author of Mankiller: A Chief and Her People, and co-editor of The Reader's Companion to the History of Women in the United States.

This collection consists of official and personal correspondence, subject files, and business records. Record series include personal correspondence (1993-1995), correspondence (1985-1995) with members of the U.S. Congress and the National Congress of American Indians, Tribal Council correspondence (1990-1994), Cherokee National Historical Society correspondence (1990-1995), and general correspondence (1982-1995). Governmental affairs files pertain to the Native American Rights Fund (1989-1993), the BIA Central Office (1988-1995), the BIA Muscogee Area Office (1989-1995), the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes (1977-1995), the National Congress of American Indians (1993-1995), the Tribal Election Commission (1985-1994), Tribal Council Meetings (1985-1993), as well as financial records such as audits, budgets, and accounting. Business files include materials concerning the Cherokee Gardens (1981-1991), the Bingo Outpost (1989-1995), Cherokee Nation Industries (1977-1995), etc.. Education and training records concern the Job Training Partnership Act (1993-1995), Head Start (1985-1995), Oaks Mission School (1977-1995), Sequoyah High School (1984-1995), and Talking Leaves Job Corps (1986-1995). Files on community development deal with the Community Development Block Grant (1985-1995), the Community Loan Fund (1987-1994), the Bell Project (1981-1987), etc.. Materials on housing include files on the Housing Authority (1993-1994) and the Home Improvement Program (1985-1994). Health files relate to the Jack Brown Center (1986-1994), Indian Health Services (1991-1995), the National Indian Health Board (1985-1992), etc.. Environmental issues and programs are covered in files pertaining to the Arkansas Riverbed Authority (1993-1994). Other files relate to Mankiller's writings, and genealogical material concerning her family.

Collection Summary (45 boxes):

Boxes 1-11: Correspondence

Box 12: Correspondence and Government

Boxes 13-25: Government

Box 26: Government and Business

Boxes 27-29: Business

Box 30: Business, Education and Training

Boxes 31-35: Education and Training

Box 36: Education and Training, Community Development

Box 37: Community Development and Housing

Box 38: Housing and Health

Box 39: Health

Box 40: Health and Social Programs

Box 41: Social Programs, Book Drafts, Miscellaneous

Boxes 42-43: Historical Information, Arts, and Miscellaneous

Boxes 44-45: Environmental Issues and Miscellaneous

Box 1 Correspondence

FF1 Personal Correspondence, 1993

FF2 Personal Correspondence, 1993

FF3 Personal Correspondence, 1993

FF4 Personal Correspondence, 1993

FF5 Personal Correspondence, 1993

FF6 Personal Correspondence, 1993

FF7 Personal Correspondence (incl. Gov. Ann Richards), 1993

FF8 Personal Correspondence, 1993

FF9 Personal Correspondence, 1993

FF10 Personal Correspondence, 1994

FF11 Personal Correspondence, 1994

FF12 Personal Correspondence, 1994

FF13 Personal Correspondence, 1995

FF14 Personal Correspondence, 1995

FF15 Personal Correspondence, 1995

FF16 Letters of Recommendation, 1989-91

Box 2 Correspondence

FF1 Letters of Recommendation, 1991-92

FF2 Letters of Recommendation, 1993

FF3 Letters of Recommendation, 1993

FF4 Letters of Recommendation, 1994

FF5 Letters of Recommendation, 1995

FF6 Planning Correspondence, 1992

FF7 White House Correspondence, 1986-95

FF8 Election Commission, 1991-95

FF9 Public Appearances, 1989-92

FF10 Public Appearances, 1992-93

FF11 Public Appearances, 1993-94

FF12 Public Appearances, 1993-94

FF13 Public Appearances, 1995

FF14 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1989-94

FF15 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1994

FF16 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1994

FF17 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1994

FF18 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1994

FF19 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1994

FF20 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1994-95

Box 3 Correspondence

FF1 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1995

FF2 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1995

FF3 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1995

FF4 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1995

FF5 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1995

FF6 Congressional Correspondence, 1993

FF7 Congressional Correspondence, 1993

FF8 Congressional Correspondence, 1994

FF9 Congressional Correspondence, 1995

FF10 Local Government Correspondence, 1987-91

FF11 Congratulatory Letters, 1985-87

FF12 National Congress of American Indians Correspondence, 1990-92

FF13 National Congress of American Indians Correspondence, 1993-94

FF14 South Africa Free Elections Correspondence, 1993-94

FF15 National American Indian Listening Conference, 1994

FF16 National American Indian Listening Conference, 1994

FF17 Mary Louise Hopkins Correspondence, 1985-86

FF18 Indian Child Welfare Correspondence, 1986-91

FF19 Dennis Wile (Photos), 1993

FF20 Historical Research (copies of correspondence with Confederate States and T. Roosevelt), 1993

FF21 Department of Health and Human Services Correspondence (and related correspondence-child welfare and programs), 1992-96

Box 4 Correspondence

FF1 Indian Health Services Correspondence, 1991-92

FF2 Tribal Council General Correspondence, 1990-91

FF3 Tribal Council General Correspondence, 1990-91

FF4 Tribal Council General Correspondence, 1991-92

FF5 Tribal Council General Correspondence, 1992-94

FF6 State of Oklahoma Correspondence, 1986-91

FF7 State of Oklahoma Correspondence, 1989-91

FF8 State of Oklahoma Correspondence, 1991-95

FF9 Interoffice Memoranda, 1988-94

FF10 Housing Authority Correspondence, 1991

FF11 Housing Authority Correspondence, 1991

FF12 Housing Authority Correspondence, 1992

FF13 Housing Authority Correspondence, 1992

Box 5 Correspondence

FF1 Communications Department, 1993-94

FF2 Communications Department, 1993-94

FF3 Book Reviews and Newspaper Articles, 1993

FF4 Book Marketing Correspondence, 1993

FF5 Jim Wilcoxen, 1994-95

FF6 Alan Harder Correspondence (business development), 1993

FF7 Alan Harder, 1993-95

FF8 Donated Foods Correspondence, 1984-88

FF9 Donated Foods Correspondence, 1989-92

FF10 Cherokee Nation Industries, 1985-85

FF11 Cherokee Nation Industries, 1986-87

FF12 Cherokee Nation Industries, 1987-89

FF13 Cherokee Nation Industries, 1990

FF14 Cherokee Nation Industries, 1985-91

FF15 Cherokee Nation Industries, 1991

FF16 Cherokee Nation Industries, 1991

Box 6 Correspondence

FF1 Communications Correspondence, 1986-90

FF2 Communications Correspondence, 1990-91

FF3 Communications Correspondence, 1991

FF4 Communications Correspondence, 1991-92

FF5 Communications Correspondence, 1992-93

FF6 Personnel Correspondence, 1991

FF7 Personnel Correspondence, 1991

FF8 Personnel Correspondence, 1991-92

FF9 Personnel Correspondence, 1992

FF10 Registration Correspondence, 1992

FF11 Housing Authority Correspondence, 1995

FF12 Congressional Correspondence, 1991

FF13 Post Secondary Oversight Council, 1985-88

FF14 Robert Wood Foundation, 1995

FF15 MacArthur Foundation, 1992

FF16 Sequoyah Fuels Corporation Correspondence, 1994

FF17 Needmor Fund, 1984-85

FF18 Task Force 2000, 1986-89

FF19 Task Force 2000, 1989-91

FF20 Public Welfare Foundation, 1982-84

Box 7 Correspondence

FF1 Kellogg Foundation, 1990-91

FF2 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 1993-94

FF3 Mott Foundation, 1982-84

FF4 Miscellaneous Foundations, 1985-94

FF5 Council on Foundations, 1985-92

FF6 Seventh Generation Fund, 1982-85

FF7 Seventh Generation Fund, 1984-86

FF8 Seventh Generation Fund, 1985

FF9 Seventh Generation Fund, 1985-86

FF10 Seventh Generation Fund, 1986

FF11 Seventh Generation Fund, 1986-87

FF12 Seventh Generation Fund, 1988

FF13 Seventh Generation Fund, 1988-89

FF14 Seventh Generation Fund, 1989-90

FF15 Seventh Generation Fund, 1990

FF16 Seventh Generation Fund, 1990-91

Box 8 Correspondence

FF1 Pamela E. Iron Correspondence, 1992

FF2 Pat Ragsdale, 1993-95

FF3 Natural Resources Contracts (BIA), 1989-92

FF4 Natural Resources Development Program (BIA), 1985-94

FF5 Revenue Sharing Population Definition (BIA), 1984-85

FF6 Roads (BIA), 1985-95

FF7 Trust Funds (BIA), 1980-87

FF8 Appraisals (BIA), 1975-82

FF9 Railroad Judgment Fund, 1984-85

FF10 Research Resources, 1985

FF11 New Mexico Cherokees, 1985

FF12 Rockwell International, 1985

FF13 Tribal Sovereignty Program, 1983-86

FF14 Tennessee Valley Authority, 1987-89

FF15 American Indian Enterprise Development, 1984-90

FF16 Women and Foundations/Corporate Philanthropy, 1987-88

FF17 Small Business Administration, 1987-89

FF18 Presidential Commission on Indian Reservation Economies, 1984-85

FF19 New Mexico Joint Powers Agreements, 1984-85

FF20 Oklahoma Federation of Indian Women, 1984-91

FF21 Chilocco Property, 1975-89

FF22 Trail of Tears-Ft. Smith, 1985-90

FF23 Tri-County Landfill, 1981-93