Sweet (Evander M., Jr.) Bureau of Indian Affairs Collection, 1915-1921

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Summary

Title:
Sweet (Evander M., Jr.) Bureau of Indian Affairs Collection,
Dates:
1915-1921
Creators:
Frank Strauss
Language:
English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Sweet (Evander M., Jr.) Bureau of Indian Affairs Collection, Mss47, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library

Background

Scope and content:

This collection of correspondence, agency reports, field notes, and photographs was compiled by Evander M. Sweet, Jr., Inspector of Indian Services for the BIA from 1915 to 1921. Much of the material consists of Sweet's inspection and investigative reports prepared for Indian reservations and agencies in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

Biographical / historical:

Evander M. Sweet, Jr., a Southern Methodist preacher, began his ministry in Oklahoma during that region's first years of statehood (1907-1914). He represented Protestant churches there in a successful drive to place an amendment in the State Constitution restricting the use of alcoholic beverages among Native Americans. From 1915-1921 he was an Inspector with the US Bureau of Indian Affairs. During these years, Federal appropriations for Indian needs were dramatically decreased in an effort to force Native Americans from reservations into the mainstream of American life. By 1920 the deterioration of the quality of Indian life was so apparent that the need for reforms was evident. Sweet's investigation reports cover a wide range of Indian complaints and provide a valuable picture of Indian-White relations under the Dawes Act. Sweet was terminated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1921 and became an agent for Pacific Mutual Life, eventually moving to Stockton (Calif.) where he remained active in Methodist affairs.

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Physical description:
6.75 linear ft.

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Processed by Holt Atherton staff; revised by Don Walker; machine-readable finding aid created by Don Walker
Date Prepared:
© 1998
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid derived from paper by means of scanning and OCR; OCR file edited for typographical errors before encoding. Date of source: Sept. 1998.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Sweet (Evander M., Jr.) Bureau of Indian Affairs Collection, Mss47, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library

Location of this collection:
University of the Pacific, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University Library
Stockton, CA 95211, US
Contact:
(209) 946-2404
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