By Heather Haven, UAS Intern
Title: Marie Olson Collection, 1968-2005
ID: MS/050
Primary Creator: Olson, Marie Williams
Other Creators: Alaska Native Sisterhood
Extent: 1.0 Boxes
Subjects: Alaska Native Sisterhood--History.
This collection contains content with information about the history of the Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS) Camp 2, including biographical information on Camp 2 leadership, as compiled by Tlingit Indian Marie Williams Olson. The collection contains ANS Camp 2 annual meeting notes, budget reports, resolutions, correspondence, conventions, fundraising events, membership records, election information, and memoriam of past ANS members. This content is contained in three scrapbook binders compiled by Olson.
Binder or Item 1 is a biographical compilation of long time ANS Camp 2 president and Tlingit leader Emma Hopkins-Olsen, with a focus on her role in ANS. This photo scrapbook chronologically documents Hopkins-Olsen’s time in office with ANS. The photos show various ANS events, while newspaper clippings discuss content ranging from Hopkins-Olsen’s role in education reform the Juneau School District, to her involvement with traditional native food classes at the local college.
Item number 2 in the collection is the detailed records of ANB Camp 2 from the time covering 2004-2005. At this time Marie Williams Olson was Camp 2 president and kept extensive records detailing a year’s worth of activity. This folder contains Camp 2 meeting minutes from various meeting held during Ms. Olson’s presidency, including Grand Camp Conventions. There is information on annual scholarship donations and awardees. There are various thank you cards and letters in this folder thanking both Camp 2 sisters and Olson. There are budget reports, receipts from Camp 2 spending. The Camp worked on many various projects with many organizations over this year, including the Forest Service on a Sacred Sites management team and the state and city legislature to recognize November as Alaska Native heritage month. Invitations from varying community events are in this folder from 2004-2005. Also included are materials documenting ANS’s role at protecting children, improving education, and working on various other social issues.
Item number 3 of collection is another detailed account of ANS Camp 2’s yearly activity but from when Emma Hopkins-Olsen was president in 1994-1995. This includes ANS meeting agendas, minutes, and various records. There are a range of photos in this folder showing ANS officer installations as well as some of ANS members enjoying Native song and dance.
Marie Williams Olson was born in Juneau, Alaska, the daughter of James Williams (Tlingit name Kaajeexán) and Amy Bean. Marie is an Áakʼw Kwáan Tlingit Indian of the Wooshkeetaan clan, Xóots hít (Brown Bear House), and a Kiks.ádi yadí. Olson carries her grandmother’s Tlingit name Kaayistaan.
In her youth Olson attended a boarding school for Alaska Natives, the Wrangell Institute, Wrangell, Alaska, later graduating from high school in Seattle, Washington. Thereafter she attended college at University of California Berkley. At this time she was exposed to the growing Red Power movement, even visiting Alcatraz Island during its Indian occupation.
In her personal and professional life Olson has served as an educator, civic leader, and cultural advocate. In 1974 she joined the Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS) Camp 2 of Juneau. In 1990 she was appointed Secretary of ANS Camp 2, and later served three terms as ANS Camp 2 president, from 2003-2005. Olson has also worked in the Juneau School District, providing cross-cultural educational training to staff and Native-content education to students. Olson is also known as an artist, working with charcoal. As of 2014 she lived in Juneau.
Repository: Sealaska Heritage Institute Archives
Acquisition Method: This manuscript collection of Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2 material was donated to Sealaska Heritage Institute March 12, 2013 by Marie Olson.
Item 1: Binder containing biographical information on Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2 former president Emma Hopkins-Olsen who was donor Marie Olson’s Aunt.
Item 2: Binder containing files from ANS Camp 2 then President Marie W. Olson from 2004-2005.
Item 3: binder containing ANS Camp 2 documents from 1994-1995 when Emma Hopkins-Olsen was Camp president.
