Group portrait at the first Tanana Chiefs Conference, 1915. Seated front, L to R: Chief Alexander of Tolovana, Chief Thomas of Nenana, Chief Evan of Koschakat, Chief Alexander William of Tanana. Standing at rear, L to R: Chief William of Tanana, Paul Williams of Tanana, and Chief Charlie of Minto. [Albert Johnson Photograph Collection, University of Alaska Fairbanks.]
Taking place July 5 and 6, 1915, the government officials at the Council included Judge James Wickersham, Thomas Riggs of the Alaska Engineering Commission, C. W. Richie and H. J. Atwell of the U. S. Land Office, and the Reverend Guy Madara from the Episcopal Church. Also present were interpreter Paul Williams of Ft. Gibbon and G. F. Cramer, Special Disbursing Agent of the Alaskan Engineering Commission.
In March, 2018, the University of Alaska Press published The Tanana Chiefs: Native Rights and Western Law, edited by UAF Emeritus Professor William Schneider, noting about the meeting, “It was one of the first times that Native voices were part of the official record. They sought education and medical assistance, and they wanted to know what they could expect from the federal government. They hoped for a balance between preserving their way of life with seeking new opportunities under the law.”
Schneider explains further in his Introduction: “For Native leaders and students of Native history, the record of this meeting is a baseline for measuring progress in areas such as governmental relations, recognition of legal rights, land claims, health care, social services, and education. The meeting is also important because it demonstrated the leadership of the Native chiefs, who stated their concerns and expressed their desire to work with the federal government, even though they couldn’t agree with all that was asked of them.”
The transcript of the meeting is at the Alaska State Library [ASL-MS-0107-38-001], and it is a compelling read for anyone interested in Alaskan history, clearly showing the simple clarity and intelligence of the Indian words, and the paternalistic assurances of the white men present.
Resources
• The Tanana Chiefs: Native Rights and Western Law, William Schneider, UA Press, 2018
• 1915 Tanana Chiefs Meeting, by William Schneider, at Alaska Historical Society, 2015
• Typewritten Transcript, Proceedings of a Council, at the Alaska State Library
• Transcript of the meeting, at the Alaska State Library (easier to read)
• George C. Thomas Memorial Library in Fairbanks, at Wikipedia
• National Register of Historic Places, nomination form for the George C. Thomas Memorial Library in Fairbanks, 1976
The George C. Thomas Library in July 2011, almost the same as when it was built 102 years ago.
Jan-Feb, 2020 issue, Vol. 2, No. 1, postpaid
The history of Chilkoot Pass, the 1915 Tanana Chiefs Conference, the Davidson Ditch, author Ella Rhodes Higginson, 'Baldy of Nome' author Esther Birdsall Darling, and Bard of the Yukon, Robert Service.
$12.00
Northern Light Media 