American Indian College Fund
to Repatriate Choctaw Nation Archive

The American Indian College Fund (the Fund) is delighted to have the opportunity to present to the Choctaw Nation an archive of historical artifacts regarding the tribe that were donated to the Fund. The receipt of this archive of documents regarding one of the original Five Civilized Tribes helps the Fund educate the public about the business nature and development of Native America during the nineteenth century.

The Choctaw archive was assembled by D.C. McCurtain, whose father, Green McCurtain, was the last Chief of the Choctaw Nation. Its contents include two important internal reports from 1873-1889, four letters from Choctaw chiefs, 16 telegrams including a telegram informing a Chief of his election, three land allotment deeds, four land allotment certificates, one goods inspection document from the Indian Service in 1886, and a family Bible.

The Fund will return these items to the Choctaw Nation on May 1, 2008 at a special event at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Texas. The Fund, the Fund's Board of Trustees, and Fund board members Steve Denson of the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University, and Chuck Hensley of Williams Financial Group, are co-hosting the event.

“The Choctaw nation is honored to be the recipient of these valuable items from our past. Tribal history is very important to all generations, and having the opportunity to display these letters, telegrams, Bible and other items in our Capitol Museum is incredibly exciting,” said Chief Gregory E. Pyle. “The Council, Choctaw People and I are very thankful that the American Indian College Fund has ensured the return of these artifacts to the great Choctaw nation.”

The Fund is honored to offer the public the opportunity to view a sampling of items on this web site.