BUREAU OF CATHOLIC INDIAN MISSIONS
Record Group 1 of Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records
Scope and Content: BCIM Series 4-2 Published Reports
Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, Series 4, Print Publications: Works published by the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions including periodicals, 1902-[ongoing], annual reports, 1883-1899, 1903-1911, general publications, and lecture scripts and guides to glass lantern slides.
Marquette University microfilmed Series 4 through 1962 with the exception of the scripts, which have not been microfilmed. The microfilm version includes Report of the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions and Report of the Director of the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions in both Sub-series 4-2 and 4-3.
Series 4-2: Published Reports: The annual reports reviewed notable mission-related issues and congressional actions and included recommendations and proposals, statistics on missions and schools, financial statements, and copies of notable letters to and from the Bureau. The reports were prepared by the director for the incorporators of the Bureau (the Archbishops of Baltimore, New York, and Philadelphia). The series is arranged chronologically with the exception of pre-1976 items not received until after 1980 when the microfilm version ended. Those titles that are included in Marqcat, the catalog of the Marquette University Libraries, are noted by the call numbers following their respective titles in the listing of contents.
Other Government-related records about Native Americans are included in Series 2-1 (Indian student attendance records from Catholic schools that received tuition reimbursement from tribal trust funds), Series 2-3 (reports by Catholic chaplains at government Indian schools), Series 16-1 (U.S. Interior Department Documents), Series 16-2 (U.S. Congressional Documents), and Series 16-3 (U.S. and State Court Documents and U.S. documents by other federal departments and agencies). Series 16-2-2 and 16-2-3 contains U.S. Senate and House testimony by Bureau personnel.
Reformatted records: The microfilm version is available via interlibrary loan within the United States; please follow the "Guidelines for Interlibrary Loans." PDF copies are available as well, for which fees may be assessed according to the Fee Schedule.Because the original correspondence before 1920 is in fragile physical condition, researchers desiring access to these years may be directed to the microfilm.
For more information, "Ask an Archivist."
