Researching individual and family connections involving American Indians can be complicated. Researchers can find a wealth of information spread across various federal and state agencies, however familiarity with available resources and having specific facts about the research subjects is necessary. Whether your research goals involve tracing your own ancestry or learning more about historical individuals, understanding the historical context of records can improve your research plan.
The National Archives Know Your Records video series has general information about genealogical research and specific context for different record collections, along with videos specific to the research of American Indians. The embedded video below discusses the American Indian Archives at the Oklahoma Historical Society (US National Archives, 2010).
Identifying which federally recognized tribe your research subject belonged to is important. Tribal affiliation can point to state and federal records that, along with tribal records, should be reviewed. Tribal governments and local historical societies often have more records of personal interest.
Agencies
Federal agencies responsible for tribal services maintain records with the National Archives. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) was created to oversee individual and tribal relations with the federal government (NARA, n.d., Bureau of Indian Affairs Records). BIA administrative records for state offices or BIA schools can be found at the National Archives. The Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) was created by a 1994 Act to increase financial accountability for federal funds held in trust for tribal members (DOI, n.d., OST).
Researchers should also investigate what, if any, records may have been kept at the State and County levels of government and transferred to state archives. Additionally, tribal governments keep their own records and investigating where tribal records are archived and how to access them may provide additional resources.
Repositories
Check out the available collections at the following archival repositories:
National Archives: information on historical treaties and federal records, including Census, tribal enrollment, maps, reports, and other historical documents are part of the physical and digital collection (few NARA records on American Indians have been digitized, but the website provides pointers to partner genealogy resources at commercial sites)
U.S Department of the Interior, American Indian Records Repository (AIRR): includes records from the BIA and the OST dating back to the 1700s, with over 200,000 indexed boxes of historic Indian Affairs records
Bureau of Indian Affairs regional offices
Additional Resources
References
Department of the Interior (DOI). (n.d.). Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, in
U.S. Department of the Interior [website]. Retrieved from https://www.doi.gov/
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). (n.d.). American Indian Records in
the National Archives, in National Archives [website]. Retrieved from
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