The correspondence and reports, making up the BIA's Central Classified Files, provide a window for the researcher to trace the promulgation and implementation of federal Indian policies. Of particular interest are the documents relating to tribal constitutions and bylaws and corporate charters that were promulgated under the Indian Reorganization Act. In addition, there are news clippings, pamphlets, minutes of meetings, press releases, marriage certificates, and congressional documents that are grouped into several categories. The federal government monitored its impact on Indian society through the correspondence and reporting of the Indian agent. The period covered by this collection was marked by revolutionary changes in the federal government's policies and attitudes toward Native Americans.
Documents reflect the emphasis placed on assimilation.
It reestablished tribal governments and restored Indian culture. To restore Indian self-governance, the IRA encouraged tribes to embrace the American democratic principles embodied in the U.S. Constitution. UPA's collection includes constitutions and bylaws from many tribes. A dramatic departure from the allotment act's goal of erasing Indian culture, the IRA recognized the value of Indian heritage to American society as a whole. Materials in this series include correspondence to and from BIA agents, reservation superintendents, tribal leaders, educators, missionaries, representatives of humanitarian groups, and others.