Researching Native American heritage is a complicated task and includes consulting a variety of governmental documents (often unpublished), original, unpublished papers of early missionaries and government officials who were associated with particular areas or tribes, land allotment rolls, tribal censuses, and maps showing assigned lands. Records in the missions often include documentations of baptisms, marriages and funerals. Historical newspapers is another source where information about Native American people and events can be found.
In addition to Native American records held by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), historical societies’ collections contain a wealth of information accumulated prior to any federal system of records was established.
Below are a number of historical societies with some fairly known holdings related to Native American history.
The list is not comprehensive and is meant to suggest possible starting points for a more in-depth search.
NORTHEAST
A growing museum, library and statewide educational resource, located in the heart of Portland’s downtown cultural district. Founded in 1822, the Maine Historical Society is the third oldest state historical society in the United States.
The Connecticut Historical Society
A private, non-profit organization that serves as the official statewide historical society of Connecticut. Established in Hartford in 1825, the CHS is one of the oldest historical societies in the US.
The Massachusetts Historical Society
A major historical archive specializing in early American, Massachusetts, and New England history. Established in 1791, it is the oldest historical society in the United States.
The New Hampshire Historical Society
An independent, nonprofit, member-supported organization, not a state-funded agency. Museum & library feature exhibitions & resources devoted to New Hampshire history.
The Newport Historical Society
A historical society in Newport, Rhode Island that was chartered in 1854 to collect and preserve books, manuscripts, and objects pertaining to Newport's history.
The Rhode Island Historical Society
The fourth-oldest state historical society in the United States with 25,000 museum objects, more than 100,000 printed books, 110,000 photographs, 3,400 sound recordings (including oral histories and music), 9 million feet of moving picture film, over 1,100 manuscripts, 3,400 maps, 15,000 architectural drawings, and other holdings.
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
The collections of Historical Society of Pennsylvania range from genealogical and family papers to business and organizational records to photographs, postcards, sheet music, menus, and trade cards.
SOUTHEAST
The Kentucky Historical Society
Established in 1836 as a private organization that "collects, preserves, conserves, interprets and shares information, memories and materials from Kentucky's past to assist those interested in exploring and preserving that heritage."
The Georgia Historical Society
Founded in 1839, the Georgia Historical Society is the oldest continuously operated historical society in the South. Links to finding aids are here
The Louisiana Historical Association
The LHA collects "such books, pamphlets, papers, documents, flags, maps, plans, charts, paintings, engravings, lithographs and other pictorial representations, [and] manuscripts" pertaining to the territorial, state, and Confederate history of Louisiana.
Mississippi Historical Society
A nonprofit organization that works closely with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History to promote understanding of the state’s history. Digitized materials are available here and here.
Established in 1856, the Florida Historical Society is dedicated to preserving Florida's past through the collection and archival maintenance of historical documents and photographs, the publication of scholarly research on Florida history, and educating the public about Florida history through a variety of public history projects and programs. Catalog to the collection.
PLAINS
The Society maintains the state's history in Kansas Museum of History, Kansas State Archives and Library, Kansas State Capitol Tour Center 16 state-owned sites. Information on the Native American materials in the collection are summarized in Kansapedia here
The Oklahoma Historical Society
Founded on May 27, 1893, the OHS has developed numerous collections, programs, museums, and historic homes, and military sites statewide. To search “Indian Archives Collection,” follow the link here
MIDWEST
Seminole Nation Historical Society
Documents and interprets the history and culture of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and the people and events that make its capital, Wewoka, one of the most historically significant and culturally diverse communities in Oklahoma.
The Minnesota Historical Society
A nonprofit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849.
The Wisconsin Historical Society
The Society's collections contain an extraordinary range of artifacts and information about American history, from the remote archaeological past to current events.
ROCKY MOUNTAINS
The Montana Historical Society
The Society traces state history & culture, with displays of native artifacts & Charles Russell's art.
The Idaho State Historical Society
A historical society located in the U.S. state of Idaho that preserves and promotes the state's cultural heritage. The society was founded as the Historical Society of Idaho Pioneers in 1881.
SOUTHWEST
The Arizona Historical Society
The Society's mission is to connect people through the power of Arizona's history and does this through four regional divisions. Each division has a representative museum. Finding aids to the collections are here.
Historical Society of New Mexico
Created with a mission to increase and disseminate knowledge of New Mexico and the Southwest Borderlands history through research, publications, and educational outreach, as well as to encourage the preservation of historic objects and property.
Promotes the discovery, collection, preservation, and publication of historical material relating to Texas. Hosts Handbook of Texas. SEARCH for individual tribe names.
WEST COAST
The official historical society of California. It was founded in 1871, by a group of prominent Californian intellectuals at Santa Clara University. It was officially designated as the Californian state historical society in 1979.
The Arizona Historical Society
The Society's mission is to connect people through the power of Arizona's history and does this through four regional divisions. Each division has a representative museum. Finding aids to the collections are here.
An organization dedicated to making Oregon’s history visible and accessible to all by gathering and preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, films, manuscripts, books, and oral histories.
A non-profit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to the promotion of Alaska history.