Research Guides: Indigenous Appalachia: Explore digital archives

Curated source sets and digital collections to explore

Curated primary source sets for Native American Studies

Browse images at the National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center
Search results from the Smithsonian Institution
First Nations Collection
From the Southern Oregon Digital Archives
The George and Joanne MacDonald Northwest Coast Image Archive The Bill Reid Centre’s George and Joanne MacDonald Image Archive contains images of Northwest Coast First Peoples, their villages, and their visual and material belongings. Many of the images collected by the MacDonalds are not unique, and can be found in museums and archives around the world. Throughout his career, Dr. MacDonald sought to bring these important resources together under one roof with the intent of creating access for Northwest Coast First Nations, and in particular artists, whose passion for historic imagery and visual documentation of their cultural belongings he witnessed first-hand. The archive is a reflection of the MacDonalds’ research interests, their careers in archaeology and anthropology, their many relationships in the field, and their deep respect and admiration of the diverse nations of the Northwest Coast.
Indian Land Cessions Maps from the 18th Annual Report of the Bureau of the American Ethnology, Smithsonian Institution.
Maps are from the original book Indian Land Cessions in the United States, Compiled by Charles C. Royce.
Indian Peoples of the Northern Great Plains Digital Collection
Photographs, paintings, ledger drawings, documents, serigraphs, and stereographs from 1874 through the 1940's
Kappler's Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties
Seven volume compilation of U.S. treaties, laws and executive orders pertaining to Native American Indian tribes
National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) Archive Center
A repository for the records of contemporary Native American artists, writers, activists, and organizations
Native American Constitution and Law Digitization Project
Tribal constitutions, codes, and other legal documents
Native American Documents Project
Many of the documents on this site were taken from microfilmed collections of reports and letters published by the National Archives. Documents are limited in scope.
Native American Women Playwrights Archive
A collection of original materials by Native women playwrights of the Americas including performance photos, vidoes, and promotional materials
Plains Indian Ledger Art Project
Scans of over 40 ledgers, requires registration for a free account (instant upon email confirmation)
Treaties Between the United States and Native Americans
From the Yale Avalon Project, full text of treaties arranged chronologically

Library of Congress sample searches and items

Omaha Indian Music
Sound recordings include 44 wax cylinder recordings made in the 1890s at the Library of Congress
Corporate name United States Indian School (Carlisle, Pa.) issuing body.
Displays results of a "corporate author" search in the Library of Congress
Digitized newspapers filtered with "Indians of North America"
From the Library of Congress Chronicling America digitized newspapers

Sample digitized books from the Internet Archive

Away to school = ʼÓltaʼgóó
A children's book published by the United States Indian Service for English instruction. From the Center for Southwest Research.
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Subject descriptions: Navajo language Readers; Off-reservation boarding schools; Juvenile literature; Navajo children; Education