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University of Chicago Library

Guide to the Native American Educational Services Robert V. Dumont, Jr. Papers 1942-2000

© 2011 University of Chicago Library

Descriptive Summary

Title:

Native American Educational Services. Robert V. Dumont, Jr. Papers

Dates:

1942-2000

Size:

8 linear feet (14 boxes)

Repository:

Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center
University of Chicago Library
1100 East 57th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.

Abstract:

The papers in this collection belong to one of the initiators of the Native American Education Services (NAES) College, Robert V. Dumont Jr. Most notably, this collection includes Dumont’s field notes from several research projects conducted around issues of Indian education in the United States, mostly dating from the 1960s, prior to his involvement in the NAES. Also included are papers connected to his education, his work with various Indian organizations in addition to the NAES, his manuscripts and publications, his research, NAES and its Community Archives, as well as some personal papers.

Information on Use

Access

Series 7, Box 14 contains personal materials restricted for 80 years from the date of creation. The remainder of the collection is open for research.

Citation

When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Native American Educational Services. Robert V. Dumont, Jr. Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library

Biographical Note

Robert Vaughn Dumont, Jr., a member of the Fort Peck Tribes (Sioux), described as a “giant” in the field of American Indian Education, was involved with NAES College from its inception. Dumont was born June 29, 1940 in Poplar, Montana. He received his early education in the Wolf Point Public School System, graduating from Wolf Point High in 1958. During the summer of 1960 Dumont attended the Workshop on American Indian Affairs at the University of Colorado with Murray and Rosalie Wax, and for three months in 1961 he worked for the American Friends Service Committee, Overseas Work Camps in France and Poland. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Montana in 1962. He was a John Hay Whitney Fellow from 1963-64 and worked in South Dakota at the Pine Ridge Reservation during this period. After completing his Master’s degree in Education at Harvard in 1966, he moved to Chicago and dedicated his life work to promoting leadership among Native communities and challenging those outside institutions which limited the capacity of tribal peoples. In the late 1960s he began working with other Native American leaders including Faith Smith toward the creation of the NAES. The College submitted its first application for candidacy for Accreditation in 1978, receiving full Accreditation in 1984 as the first and only Private Native American Baccalaureate Degree Granting Institution in America. Dumont was a respected educator and much of his work focused on research and promotion of Indian education. Dumont also served as a policy analyst for the Fort Peck Tribes for much of the last two decades of his life. He passed away on May 29, 1997.

During his career, Dumont held many leadership positions. He was a founding member of the National Indian Youth Council (1961) and founder of Native American Educational Services (1974). Other positions included assistant director of the Ft. Peck Tribal Department of Labor; Tribal Health Director for the Fort Peck tribes; faculty for Antioch, American and Northeastern Universities, and the University of Minnesota; and special consultant to the Office of the Secretary of Education for American Indians Office. He was involved in several research projects and published several articles on Indian education. He was an education planner for the National Indian Youth Council (NIYC) overseeing a Ford Foundation program in educational planning for eight Indian communities and a Carnegie Corporation Indian education study. At the time of his death, he was the Vice President for Academic Affairs for NAES College.

“[Dumont’s] work exemplifies one of the early proponents of tribal specified knowledge and learning as the focal point for development. . . . He challenged those around him to think, and to act in the best traditions and interests of Native people; not to accept failure as an end but as a beginning of new learning and a vision of dynamic social change for a Native peoples.”

Source: “Robert Vaughn Dumont Jr.” Obituaries Column, Billings Gazette, Sunday, June 1, 1997, p. 8a

Scope Note

The Robert Vaughn Dumont Jr. papers span the years 1942 to 2000, with the bulk covering the years 1962 to 1971. The collection reflects his involvement in Native American educational projects and professional organizations during the period of his life between college and NAES. Mr. Dumont had organized his papers prior to donation to NAES; this organization has been retained, with processing consisting largely of refoldering and grouping of series. Two additional series have also been added: NAES Archives and Personal Affects.

The strengths of the collection lie in Dumont’s original field notes and classroom observations from the Indian education projects, as well as administrative paperwork and correspondence related to his involvement with the National Indian Youth Council and the United Scholarship Service.

The materials here represent roughly the first half of Dumont’s professional activities. Researchers should be aware that there may be another collection of Dumont’s papers at the Fort Peck Tribal Archives. The holdings in this collection do not include any NAES institutional papers.

There are seven series in the collection. Series I: Education contains papers, research data, degrees and diplomas, and photographs associated with Dumont’s schooling from his secondary education at Wolf Point Public School in Montana, to his Bachelor’s education at the University of Montana and his Master’s degree at Harvard University.

Series II: Indian Education Research Projects, 1962-1968 documents three projects conducted in conjunction with other institutions. The Pine Ridge Education Study, 1962-1964, was a collaboration with Emory University. Included are field notes, interviews, background research and correspondence. The Oglala Community School Project, 1964-1967 was done with the Harvard-Radcliffe American Indian Project. Some related correspondence may be found in the Pine Ridge and Cherokee subseries. The Cherokee Indian Education Research Project, 1967-1968 conducted with the University of Kansas. The materials include field notes, observations, research materials, and interviews.

Series III: Manuscripts and Publications contains manuscripts and publications connected to Robert V. Dumont. Many arose out of the Cherokee Project. Some publications and manuscripts are co-authored with Murray Wax and Rosalie Wax; others are Dumont’s own projects, including “Requiem for Wolf Creek”.

Series IV: Professional Organizations contains materials including minutes, financial statements, project proposals, and activities related to Dumont’s work with American Indian Organizations outside of the NAES. It is divided into three subseries. Subseries 1 documents the National Indian Youth Council (NIYC) of which Dumont was a founding member in 1961 and board member from 1963 to 1968. Subseries 2, United Scholarship Service (USS) contains material related to Dumont's service on the USS board of Directors from 1968 to 1971. The materials include administrative paperwork, such as financial statements, by-laws and minutes from board meetings, as well as documentation on several projects. Subseries 3, Coalition of American Indian Citizens (CAIC) contains a small amount of material related to the organization, an outgrowth of the Poor People’s Campaign. The materials span the years 1968 to 1969.

Series V: Research Materials is divided into three subseries. The series is composed of materials Mr. Dumont collected in the course of his work. They were grouped together based on common themes. The subseries are Education, General Files and Indian Policy.

Series VI: NAES Archives contains documents related to NAES including several folders dedicated to the creation of the Community Archives of NAES College.

Series VII: Personal Materials contains newspaper clippings, photographs, scrapbooks, and personal financial papers of Robert V. Dumont Jr. as well as some papers of his father, Robert V. Dumont Sr.

Related Resources

Browse finding aids by topic.

Subject Headings

INVENTORY

Series I: Education, 1940s-1967

Box 1   Folder 1

Education, Workshop on American Indian Affairs, 1960

Box 1   Folder 2

Education, Schooling Careers Project #1, 1965

Box 1   Folder 3

Education, Schooling Careers Project #2, 1965

Box 1   Folder 4

Education, Schooling Careers Project #3, 1965

Box 1   Folder 5

Education, Schooling Careers Project #4, 1965

Box 1   Folder 6

Education, An Analysis of the Development of Negro-White Relations in Jane Baldwin’s Essays & Fiction, undated

Box 1   Folder 7

Education, Degrees and Diplomas, 1954-1967

Box 1   Folder 8

Education, School Photographs, undated

Series II: Indian Education Research Projects, 1962-1968

Subseries 1: Pine Ridge Education Study, 1962-1964

Box 2   Folder 1

Pine Ridge Study, Research Proposal, "Formal Education in American Indian Communities"

Box 2   Folder 2

Pine Ridge Study, Attendance at Oglala Community High School

Box 2   Folder 3

Pine Ridge Study, Classroom Observations, Fall 1962-Spring 1963

Box 2   Folder 4

Pine Ridge Study, Correspondence, 1960-1964

Box 2   Folder 5

Pine Ridge Study, Emory University Oglala Educational Studies by Murray and Rosalie Wax

Box 2   Folder 6

Pine Ridge Study, Field Notes and Comments, August 1962-February 1963

Box 2   Folder 7

Pine Ridge Study, Field Notes, March-June 1963

Box 2   Folder 8

Pine Ridge Study, Interviews, Students, High School

Box 2   Folder 9

Pine Ridge Study, Interviews, Teachers

Subseries 2: Oglala Community Project, 1961-1965

Box 3   Folder 1

Oglala Community Project, Project Development, 1963-1964

Box 3   Folder 2

Oglala Community Project, Field Notes & Observations, Summer 1964

Box 3   Folder 3

Oglala Community Project, Harvard-Radcliffe American Indian Project

Box 3   Folder 4

Oglala Community Project, Harvard-Radcliffe Correspondence, 1961-1965

Box 3   Folder 5

Oglala Community Project, Spring-Summer 1964

Box 3   Folder 6

Oglala Community Project, Reference Materials

Box 3   Folder 7

Oglala Community Project, Requests for Copies of Report

Box 3   Folder 8

Oglala Community Project, Stockmen’s National Bank

Subseries 3: Cherokee Project, 1967-1968

Box 3   Folder 9

Cherokee Project, Classroom Observations, Kenwood School

Box 3   Folder 10

Cherokee Project, Classroom Observations, Other Schools

Box 3   Folder 11

Cherokee Project, Clippings and General Information

Box 3   Folder 12

Cherokee Project, Correspondence

Box 3   Folder 13

Cherokee Project, Interviews, Students

Box 3   Folder 14

Cherokee Project, Notes, General

Box 3   Folder 15

Cherokee Project, Test and Interview Guides

Box 3   Folder 16

Cherokee Project, "Cherokee Families & the Schools", Re L Proctor Interview

Box 3   Folder 17

Cherokee Project, Final Reports

Series III: Manuscripts and Publications

Box 4   Folder 1

Publication, "Cherokee Children and the Teacher", Social Education, January 1969

Box 4   Folder 2

Manuscript, "Cherokee School Society and the Intercultural Classroom", with Murray L. Wax

Box 4   Folder 3

Publication, "Cherokee School Society and the Intercultural Classroom", with Murray L. Wax

Box 4   Folder 4

Manuscript, "Observations on the Field Notes of Observer-Participant Robert Dumont

Box 4   Folder 5

Manuscript, "Notes from a Visit"

Box 4   Folder 6

Manuscript, "Learning English and How to be Silent", November 1969

Box 4   Folder 7

Publication, "Functions of Language", with Murray & Rosalie Wax, Correspondence, Reviews, and Royalties

Box 4   Folder 8

Publication, "Turning Illusions into Reality" and "A Study in Contrasts"

Box 4   Folder 9

Manuscript, "Cherokee Families and the Schools"

Box 4   Folder 10

Manuscript, Cherokee Project Report, ca. 1968

Box 4   Folder 11

Work Outlines: "The Written Word" and "Requiem for Wolf Creek"

Box 4   Folder 12

Manuscript, "Requiem for Wolf Creek"

Series IV: Professional Organizations, 1964-1971

Subseries 1: National Indian Youth Council (NIYC), 1964-1971

Box 4   Folder 13

NIYC, National Indian Training and Research Center, Educational Leadership Project (NITRC), 1971

Box 4   Folder 14

NIYC, Chicago, Native American Committee (NAC) Students, undated

Box 4   Folder 15

NIYC, Kindergarten Planning, BIA, undated

Box 4   Folder 16

NIYC, Planning Committee on Education Opportunities for American Indians and Alaskan Natives, 1964-1965

Box 4   Folder 17

NIYC, Northwest Regional Laboratory, Indian Student Post High School Study, 1967-1968

Box 5   Folder 1

NIYC, New Indian Thought Society (NITS), ABC Adventures, undated

Box 5   Folder 2

NIYC, American Indian Capitol Conference on Poverty, undated

Box 5   Folder 3

NIYC, National Indian Youth Council (NIYC), 1954-1965

Box 5   Folder 4

NIYC, 1965

Box 5   Folder 5

NIYC, Upward Bound, Robert V Dumont, 1966-1967

Box 5   Folder 6

NIYC, General File 1965-1968

Box 5   Folder 7

NIYC, Francis McKinley, Indian Education Carnegie, undated

Box 5   Folder 8

NYIC, Educational Planning, undated

Subseries 2: United Scholarship Service (USS), 1965-1971

Box 5   Folder 9

USS, Bill Tucker (Bear Paw Home)/Robert V Dumont, undated

Box 5   Folder 10

USS, By-Laws, undated

Box 5   Folder 11

USS, Board of Directors, 1965

Box 5   Folder 12

USS, Chairman Board Meetings, 1966-1971

Box 5   Folder 13

USS, Chairman, Correspondence, 1970

Box 5   Folder 14

USS, Chairman, Financial, 1966-1971

Box 5   Folder 15

USS, Chairman, Proposals, undated

Box 6   Folder 1

USS, Conference, Education & Development in American Indian Communities, Denver Colorado, 1969

Box 6   Folder 2

USS: Community Action Research Project, 1970

Box 6   Folder 3

USS, Community upward Bound Projects, Non-Funded, 1968-69

Box 6   Folder 4

USS, Fundraising, undated

Box 6   Folder 5

USS, National American Indian College Student Association Planning Committee, 1970

Box 6   Folder 6

USS, Projects, Great Falls/Carnell, undated

Box 6   Folder 7

USS, Publications, Annual Reports, Newsletters, undated

Box 6   Folder 8

USS, Secondary School Program, undated

Box 6   Folder 9

USS, Southwestern Indian Development (SID), undated

Box 6   Folder 10

USS, Student Action Research Project, Summer 1969

Box 6   Folder 11

USS, Student Roster and Guidelines for Scholarships, 1966-1971

Box 6   Folder 12

USS, Talent Search Project, 1968-1970

Box 6   Folder 13

USS, Washington Summer Project, 1969

Box 6   Folder 14

USS, United Scholarship Service, Old, No 1 of 2, 1963-1969

Box 6   Folder 15

USS, United Scholarship Service, Old, No 2 of 2, 1966-1968

Box 6   Folder 16

USS, Thomas White Hawk, 1969

Subseries 3: Coalition of American Indian Citizens, 1968-1969

Box 7   Folder 1

COAIC, Coalition of American Indian Citizens, 1968-1969

Series V: Research Material, 1961-1986

Subseries 1: Education

Box 7   Folder 2

Education, Proposal for an Experimental Indian School in the City of Minneapolis, November 1969

Box 7   Folder 3

Education, Indian Education Development Papers by Assorted Authors, undated

Box 7   Folder 4

Education, Proposal for 1969 BIA Summer Workshop in Cross-Cultural Instruction by Abt Associates, undated

Box 7   Folder 5

Education, Harkins, Art M, Collected Papers, undated

Box 7   Folder 6

Education, Exemplary Schools, Project TRIBE Plan, Charles Zellers, BIA, 1969, undated

Box 7   Folder 7

Education, "Handbook for Indian Education", Robert A Rossel, Jr, undated

Box 7   Folder 8

Education, Bureau of Indian Affairs Teacher Orientation, Fall 1962

Box 7   Folder 9

Education, Wax, Murray & Rosalie, Collected Papers, undated

Box 7   Folder 10

Education, Workshop for Directors of NDEA Institutes for Educators of American Indian Pupils, 1967

Box 7   Folder 11

Education, Ramah Navajo, NIRC, undated

Subseries 2: General, 1961-1973

Box 8   Folder 1

McNickle, D’Arcy, Papers, undated

Box 8   Folder 2

Indians of Montana and Wyoming, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Report #154, undated

Box 8   Folder 3

Indian Mental Health, Articles, undated

Box 8   Folder 4

Council on Anthropology and Education Newsletter, undated

Box 8   Folder 5

"Bibliography of California Indian History," undated

Box 8   Folder 6

Articles by Assorted Authors, undated

Box 8   Folder 7

National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), 1 of 3, undated

Box 8   Folder 8

National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), 2 of 3, undated

Box 8   Folder 9

National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), 3 of 3, undated

Box 8   Folder 10

Métis, Clippings and Bibliography, undated

Box 8   Folder 11

"The Tribal-Urban Conflict", Tony Machukay, April 1973

Box 8   Folder 12

"Questions Regarding American Indian Criminality", Omer C Stewart, December, 1961

Box 9   Folder 1

"Positive Indian Parenting", Northwest Indian Child Welfare Institute, 1986

Box 9   Folder 2

Pascua Yaqui Development Project, Pima County, Arizona, 1966-1969

Subseries 3: Indian policy, 1953-1981

Box 9   Folder 3

Littleton, Colorado, Spring 1970

Box 9   Folder 4

Federal Indian Legislation, 1953-1959

Box 9   Folder 5

Association on American Indian Affairs

Box 9   Folder 6

American Friends Service Committee, Tama, Iowa, 1968-1969

Box 9   Folder 7

"Indian Prior and Paramount Rights vs State Rights", William H Veeder, Fall 1974

Box 9   Folder 8

Navajo Legal Services, undated

Box 9   Folder 9

Ohoyo, July 1980, October 1980, January 1981

Box 9   Folder 10

Robert K Thomas Conference, Papers by Assorted Authors, 1981

Box 9   Folder 11

Robert K Thomas, Collected Papers, undated

Box 9   Folder 12

Social Science Institute, 1980

Box 9   Folder 13

"Title II of the 1968 Civil Rights Act: An Indian Bill of Rights", A Lazarus Jr., undated

Box 9   Folder 14

American Indian Policy Review Commission, Task Force 7

Box 10   Folder 1

American Indian Policy Review Commission, Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs, May 17, 1977

Box 10   Folder 2

Hearings before the Subcommittee on Indian Affairs of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, United States Senate, July 19-20, 1973

Box 10   Folder 3

"Answers to your questions about American Indians", US Department of the Interior, May 1968

Box 10   Folder 4

Analysis of the Budget Pertaining to Indian Affairs, Fiscal Year 1982

Box 10   Folder 5

Hearings, Committee on Indian Affairs, May 26, 1983

Box 10   Folder 6

"Cohen’s Handbook of Indian Law", Chapter 7, The Scope of Tribal Self-Government, undated

Box 10   Folder 7

"Federal Legislation Affecting American Indians," Laura Wittstock, Civil Rights Digest, Fall 1973

Box 10   Folder 8

US District Court, Klanath Indian Tribe vs State of Oregon, Filed September 27, 1979

Box 10   Folder 9

Report and Recommendation to the President of the United States, Presidential Commission on Indian Reservation Economies, November 1984

Box 10   Folder 10

Coalition of American Citizens, Poor People’s Campaign, May 1, 1968

Box 10   Folder 11

American Indian Chicago Conference, Related Materials, 1961

Box 10   Folder 12

American Indian Chicago Conference, Post-Conference Papers, 1961

Box 10   Folder 13

NEEK, News of the Native Community, Tribal Government & Indian Self-Determination, undated

Box 10   Folder 14

Study Paper on Indian Tribal Offices, Franklin D Ducheneaux, August 1971

Box 10   Folder 15

Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT) #1, undated

Box 10   Folder 16

Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT) #2, undated

Series VI: NAES Archives, 1970s-2001

Box 11

New Directions in Indian Purpose: Reflections on the American Indian Chicago Conference, NAES College, January 1988

Box 11

Federal Indian Legislation and Policies, 1956 Workshop on American Indian Affairs, Sponsored by the University of Chicago, Department of Anthropology

Box 11

Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, Annual Conference, March 24-28, 1994

Box 11   Folder 1

NAES College, College Catalogues, 1989-2001

Box 11   Folder 2

White House Pre-Conference on Indian Library and Information Services, October 1978

Box 11   Folder 3

NAES College, Urban Natives of Chicago Youth Council, UNITY, 1997-1998

Box 11   Folder 4

NAES College, Annual Report, 1997

Box 11   Folder 5

NAES College, Campus/Site Councils Reorganization

Box 11   Folder 6

NAES College, Campus Evaluations

Box 11   Folder 7

Archives, Guidelines

Box 11   Folder 8

Community Archives of NAES College, User Forms

Box 11   Folder 9

Community Archives of NAES College, Request Forms

Box 11   Folder 10

Community Archives of NAES College, Original Material Request Forms

Box 11   Folder 11

Community Archives of NAES College, Archival Forms Manual

Box 11   Folder 12

Community Archives of NAES College, Gift Agreement Forms

Box 11   Folder 13

Community Archives of NAES College, Archival Models, General

Box 11   Folder 14

Community Archives of NAES College, User Contracts

Box 11   Folder 15

Community Archives of NAES College, Archival Models, Record Description

Box 11   Folder 16

Community Archives of NAES College, Job Description

Box 11   Folder 17

Community Archives of NAES College, Correspondence

Box 11   Folder 18

Community Archives of NAES College, Microfilm Chart

Box 12   Folder 1

Community Archives of NAES College, Physical Plant

Box 12   Folder 2

Community Archives of NAES College, Reports

Box 12   Folder 3

Community Archives of NAES College, SAA, Basic Manual Series, 1977-1982

Box 12   Folder 4

Community Archives of NAES College, Chicago Area Archivists’ News

Box 12   Folder 5

Community Archives of NAES College, Midwest Archives Conference

Box 12   Folder 6

Community Archives of NAES College, Native American Archives Coalition

Box 12   Folder 7

Community Archives of NAES College, Archive Related Papers

Box 12   Folder 8

Miscellaneous Papers, NAES College, 1992-2000

Series VII: Personal, 1950s-2000

Box 12   Folder 9

Photos, Newspaper Clippings

Box 12   Folder 10

Catholic’s Pocket Manual

Box 12   Folder 11

Photos

Box 12   Folder 12

Drawings and Sketches

Box 12   Folder 13

Clippings, Correspondence, Family Genealogies

Box 12   Folder 14

The Dynamics of Indian Religion and Philosophy

Box 12   Folder 15

Stories and Poems for Indian Children

Box 12   Folder 16

WBEZ Native Americans Documentary, cassette, 2000

Box 13   Folder 1

Images, 1986-1995

  • Indian Images: This Land was Theirs, Calendar, 1986
  • Rugged Mountains, Drawing, undated
  • Native Nations: First Americans seen by Edward S Curtis, Calendar, 1995
Box 13   Folder 2

Scrapbook, undated

Box 13

NCAI Bulletin, Volume IV, No 4, November 1, 1958

Box 13

NCAI Bulletin, Volume IV, No 5, December 1, 1958

Box 13

NCAI Bulletin, Volume V, No 1, February 1, 1959

Box 13

NCAI Bulletin, Volume V, No 3, April 1959

Box 13

NCAI Bulletin, Volume VI, No 1, May 1961

Box 13

Veteran BIA educator finds that truth is a fragile thing, Navajo Times, September 24, 1970

Box 13

Indians Trapped in Squalor -- And Too Few Understand, Sunday Telegram, April 2, 1964

Box 13

Wassaja: The Indian’s Signal for Self Determination, Volume 2, No 10, November-December 1974

Box 13

Wassaja: The Indian’s Signal for Self Determination, Volume 3, No 1, January-February 1975

Series VIII: Restricted

Box 14   Folder 1

Personal Financial Papers #1 R-80

Box 14   Folder 2

Personal Financial Papers #2 R-80

Box 14   Folder 3

Personal Financial Papers #3 R-80

Box 14   Folder 4

Inheritance Papers, Robert Dumont Sr. R-80