Register of the Gertrude (Zitkala-Ša) and Raymond Bonnin Collection, 1926-1938 MSS1704
The register includes a short biography of Zitkala-S̈a and lists the contents of the collection. The collection consists of 15 archival boxes of the correspondence, personal history, and business papers of Raymond and Gertrude Bonnin, with the bulk of the collection focused on Gertrude Bonnin’s activities. Although the chronological range of the collection is wide, the majority of the materials are from the period of the National Council of American Indians (NCAI), which existed from 1926 until Gerturde's death in 1938. Many prominent political advocates for Native American rights, individuals on the reservations, and civilians active in the relief efforts are featured in the material, making this collection a unique collaboration of many voices.
The Bonnin materials in this collection were found among the papers of Ernest L. Wilkinson, which have come to the Brigham Young University library in various installments since 1978. Prior to his becoming president of the university in 1952, his law firm, Wilkinson, Cragun, and Barker, had handled a large number of legal claims for the western Indian tribes before the Indian Claims Commission. Wilkinson had established a personal and professional friendship with Raymond and Gertrude Bonnin, at the heart of which were these Indian tribal cases.
