Library Guides: Resources and Services for Iowa Indigenous Peoples: Archival Resources at ISU

Indigenous Peoples of Iowa

University Archives collections of interest

Here is an alphabetical listing of some ISU archival collections that may be of interest. The links go to the collection finding aids. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives about access. We regret that many of these materials reflect settler-colonial history and perspective.

Center for American Intercultural Studies Records

Finding aid: RS 13/37/3
Papers for the Center, which was created in 2005. The Center houses the combined American Indian Studies, the African American Studies, the U.S. Latino Studies, and the Asian American Studies programs.

Center for Rural Affairs Records

Finding aid: MS-0413
The Center for Rural Affairs (CRA) is a non-profit group formerly based in Walthill, Nebraska, a small town on the western edge of the Corn Belt. It relocated to Lyons, Nebraska in 2003.The collection consists of project reports, newsletters, correspondence, annual reports, publications, audiocassettes, VHS tapes, photographs, negatives, and slides. Records include documents regarding conferences, workshops, CRA projects, grants, legislation, and subject files on issues of interest to CRA, including the Farm Crisis of the 1980s. Also included are records on the Susan LaFlesche Picotte Center, located in Walthill, Nebraska. Picotte was the first Native American woman to become a physician in the United States.

Dorothy Schwieder Papers

Finding aid: RS 13/12/54
Dorothy Hubbard Schwieder became an assistant professor in the Department of History at Iowa State in 1981, and was promoted to full professor in 1988. Schwieder retired from ISU in 2001. She also developed a popular course on Iowa history, the first of its kind at Iowa State University. This collection (1880-2011, undated) contains materials related to Schwieder's many years in academia including presentations, publications, and research done on a variety of topics.

Iowa Photograph Album, 1897

Finding aid: MS-0714
While this album contains depictions of (white) rural life in Iowa in the late 19th century, there are 3 photographs of individuals identified as members of the Meskwaki Nation. The photographer is likely to have been a white settler.

Leonard F. Kellogg papers

Finding aid: RS 9/14/51
Kellogg joined the Iowa State faculty in 1949 as Professor (1949-1965) of forestry, teaching mensuration and forest management. Kellogg was especially involved in Iowa State’s forestry summer camps where students observed logging practices, learned about timber management, utilization of wood by industry, and engaged in research work in forestry. This collection includes a folder of photographs of Meskwaki people (box 11, folder 17).

Rural Coalition Records

Finding aid: MS-0368
The Rural Coalition, a national alliance of regionally and culturally diverse organizations concerned with rural issues, was formed by about two dozen non-profit organizations in 1978 to provide a national, unified voice for rural people and their communities. One of the major goals of the Rural Coalition has been to influence public policy to create fair legislation and returns for rural communities and minority and small farmers. Throughout the years, the Rural Coalition has worked on a wide variety of issues to improve the lives of rural people. During its early years, the Coalition developed task forces based on identified concerns such as agriculture, natural resources, rural military issues, Native American issues, rural economy and development, community development, and jobs.

Walter M. Rosene, Sr. papers

Finding aid: MS-0589
This collection (1871-2008, undated) contains lantern slides, photographs, photographic negatives and glass plate negatives created by Walter Rosene, Sr. Series 2 of this collection contains one folder (box 17, folder 5) with a few photos taken by Rosene at a Meskwaki Powwow in Tama, Iowa, in 1931.

William Gordon Murray Papers

Finding aid: RS 13/9/15
The collection contains the papers of William G. Murray. The documents consist of materials relating to Living History Farms, including original deeds, planning statements, brochures, correspondence, articles and clippings, evaluations, employee policies, admission data, exhibit construction, and program development. The program materials contain information on the Flynn Mansion, the Ioway Indian Farm, and the 1900 Farm.

Preferred Subject Terms

The North American Indigenous peoples vocabulary includes current preferred subject headings, related Library of Congress headings, the names of present-day nations, alternative names, and feedback from members of the communities being described. Explore this vocabulary and other preferred terms at Iowa State University Library Vocabularies.

ISU Library Metadata Services

Metadata Services Librarians:

Heather Campbell
Christopher Dieckman
Kelly Hyland
Sylvie Manuel
Nausicaa Rose
Hema Thulsidhos

Former Head of Metadata Services:

Harriet Wintermute

Content Warning

Iowa State University Library collects, preserves, and provides access to materials for teaching, learning, and research from a broad range of sources and time periods. Some of these materials may be offensive or contain negative stereotypes. Their presence should be viewed and considered within their historical context. They do not represent the views of Iowa State University or the Library, which strives to create and maintain a welcoming and inclusive environment.