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Oral History Interview with Henry Mitchell, an American Indian Canoe Maker, 1938

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, Mitchell, Henry, "[The Life of Henry Mitchell]," 1938

Description 

This oral interview of Henry Mitchell and his wife, American Indians in Maine, was completed by Robert Grady with the Federal Writers’ Project in 1938. Henry Mitchell was a professional canoe maker and talks about the beliefs and customs he grew up with along with moments of great adversity he and other American Indians faced in Maine.

Full Transcript of Henry Mitchell's Interview

Transcribed Excerpt from Henry Mitchell's Interview

Source-Dependent Questions

  • What role did American Indians have in the state legislature of Maine in 1938?
  • American Indians in Maine could not vote in state elections but could in tribal elections, like explained in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Sac and Fox Tribes in Iowa. According to the Mitchells, what was unfair about these roles and salaries in Maine?
  • Write a conclusion about how much value the input from American Indians had to the legislators in Maine at that time.

Citation Information

Mitchell, Henry, "[The Life of Henry Mitchell]," 1938. Courtesy of Library of Congress