Atwood, Stella M.
Person
Biography
Stella M. Atwood (died 1939) was an activist for Indian rights.
Stella Atwood grew up in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where she helped her father study Native American religion and society from a young age. Atwood married and lived in Riverside, California for much of her life, where she organized the area’s first Parent Teachers Association (PTA). In 1917, she established the founded and chaired an Indian welfare committee in the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), Southern California. Stella was the chair of the GFWC’s national committee on Indian welfare form 1921-1928. She formed a partnership with John Collier, with whom she campaigned against Indian mistreatment and religious freedom for several years. In 1928 she was appointed Legislative Advisor to the American Indian Defense Association. In 1937, the Blackfeet inducted her into their tribe and gave her the name “Guiding Star.” Stella died May 25, 1939.
Citation:
BYU Family History Library Newspapers, via WWW, October 27, 2020 (Stella M. Atwood)An Unexpected Alliance: Stella Atwood, the California Clubwomen, John Collier, and the Indians of the Southwest, 1917-1934, 2009: p. 353-366 (Grew up in St. Cloud, Minnesota and studied Indians with father in childhood; she was married; she lived in Riverside, CA, where she formed the first Riverside PTA and founded and chaired an Indian welfare committee for the GFWC; Stella chaired the national GFWC’s Indian committee from 1921-1928; formed partnership with John Collier; became Legislative Advisor to the American Indian Defense Association in 1928; inducted into Blackfeet and was named “Guiding Star” in 1927; d. May 25, 1939)
Found in 30 Collections and/or Records:
Government documents, 1933-1950
Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 1704 Series 3
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
Contains correspondence, personal history, and business papers of both Zitkala-S̈a and her husband, Raymond Bonnin, with the bulk focusing on Gertrude's activities. Zitkala-S̈a was a central figure in early twentieth century Indian reform, and this collection reflects her intensive involvement. She was instrumental in legislation favorable to Indians and spent a great deal of her time among the Native Americans in an attempt to educate and organize them for greater strength through unity....
Dates:
1933-1950
Miscellaneous dated material, 1896-1942
Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 1704 Series 4 Sub-Series 1
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
Contains correspondence, personal history, and business papers of both Zitkala-S̈a and her husband, Raymond Bonnin, with the bulk focusing on Gertrude's activities. Zitkala-S̈a was a central figure in early twentieth century Indian reform, and this collection reflects her intensive involvement. She was instrumental in legislation favorable to Indians and spent a great deal of her time among the Native Americans in an attempt to educate and organize them for greater strength through unity....
Dates:
1896-1942
Miscellaneous documents and other materials
Series
Identifier: MSS 1704 Series 4
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
Contains correspondence, personal history, and business papers of both Zitkala-S̈a and her husband, Raymond Bonnin, with the bulk focusing on Gertrude's activities. Zitkala-S̈a was a central figure in early twentieth century Indian reform, and this collection reflects her intensive involvement. She was instrumental in legislation favorable to Indians and spent a great deal of her time among the Native Americans in an attempt to educate and organize them for greater strength through unity....
Dates:
1906-1938
Miscellaneous undated material
Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 1704 Series 4 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
Contains correspondence, personal history, and business papers of both Zitkala-S̈a and her husband, Raymond Bonnin, with the bulk focusing on Gertrude's activities. Zitkala-S̈a was a central figure in early twentieth century Indian reform, and this collection reflects her intensive involvement. She was instrumental in legislation favorable to Indians and spent a great deal of her time among the Native Americans in an attempt to educate and organize them for greater strength through unity....
Dates:
1906-1938
National Council of American Indians photographs
Series
Identifier: MSS 1704 Series 5
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
Contains correspondence, personal history, and business papers of both Zitkala-S̈a and her husband, Raymond Bonnin, with the bulk focusing on Gertrude's activities. Zitkala-S̈a was a central figure in early twentieth century Indian reform, and this collection reflects her intensive involvement. She was instrumental in legislation favorable to Indians and spent a great deal of her time among the Native Americans in an attempt to educate and organize them for greater strength through unity....
Dates:
1906-1938
National Council of American Indians records
Collection — Oversize-folder 16: Series 1 [Barcode: 31197233235149]
Identifier: MSS 1704
Scope and Contents
Contains correspondence, personal history, and business papers of both Zitkala-S̈a and her husband, Raymond Bonnin, with the bulk focusing on Gertrude's activities. Zitkala-S̈a was a central figure in early twentieth century Indian reform, and this collection reflects her intensive involvement. She was instrumental in legislation favorable to Indians and spent a great deal of her time among the Native Americans in an attempt to educate and organize them for greater strength through unity....
Dates:
1906-1938
Found in:
L. Tom Perry Special Collections
Papers on the death of Zitkala-S̈a and Raymond T. Bonnin, 1938-1942
Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 1704 Series 1 Sub-Series 9
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
Contains correspondence, personal history, and business papers of both Zitkala-S̈a and her husband, Raymond Bonnin, with the bulk focusing on Gertrude's activities. Zitkala-S̈a was a central figure in early twentieth century Indian reform, and this collection reflects her intensive involvement. She was instrumental in legislation favorable to Indians and spent a great deal of her time among the Native Americans in an attempt to educate and organize them for greater strength through unity....
Dates:
1938-1942
Publications by Zitkala-S̈a, 1918-1985
Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 1704 Series 1 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents
Contains publications by Zitkala-S̈a personally or in her role as the president of the National Council of American Indians, dated 1918-1985.
Dates:
1918-1985
Raymond T. Bonnin military documents, 1917-1928
Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 1704 Series 1 Sub-Series 7
Scope and Contents
Contains certificates of appointment and discharge, and other military documents of Raymond T. Bonnin. Dated 1917-1928.
Dates:
1917-1928
Selected press clippings concerning Zitkala-S̈a, 1918-1931
Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 1704 Series 1 Sub-Series 6
Scope and Contents
Includes clippings or photocopies of clippings featuring Zitkala-S̈a, dated 1918-1931.
Dates:
1918-1931
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 29
- Collection 1
- Subject
- Andarko (Okla.) 29
- Civil Rights 29
- Clinton (Okla.) 29
- Concho (Okla.) 29
- Indians of North America -- Government relations 29
- Indians of North America -- History 29
- Lake Traverse Indian Reservation (N.D. and S.D.) 29
- Lawton (Okla.) 29
- Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (S.D.) 29
- Politics, Government, and Law 29
- Sedan (Okla.) 29
- Standing Rock Indian Reservation (N.D. and S.D.) 29
- Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation (Utah) 29
- Ute Indians 29
- Washington (D.C.) 29
- Yankton Indians 29
- Letters 22
- Drafts (Documents) 10
- Pamphlets 10
- Photographs 10
- Articles 2
- Biographies 2
- Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) 2
- Essays 2
- Folklore 2
- Notes 2
- Photocopies 2
- Arizona -- Description and travel 1
- California -- Description and travel 1
- Certificates 1
- Contracts 1
- Fiction 1
- Fliers (Ephemera) 1
- Lists 1
- Logs (Records) 1
- Military records 1
- Notebooks 1
- Operas 1
- Periodicals 1
- Promotional materials 1
- Reports 1
- Speeches, addresses, etc. 1
- Theater programs 1 + ∧ less
∨ more