Marie Wadley

Marie L. Wadley
Marie L. Wadley
Born	December 16, 1906; Pensacola, Oklahoma
Died	September 23, 2009 (aged 102); Muskogee, Oklahoma
Nationality	Shawnee Tribe, American
Occupation	Bureau of Indian Affairs
Known for	co-founder of the Five Civilized Tribes Museum

Marie L. Wadley (December 16, 1906 – September 23, 2009) was a Native American cofounder of the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee, Oklahoma.^[1] Wadley became the museum's first president after its opening.^[1]^[2]

Early life

Marie Wadley was born in Pensacola, Indian Territory, on December 16, 1906,^[1] less than a year before the territory became the U.S. state of Oklahoma in 1907.^[1]

Wadley was Shawnee and Cherokee.^[2] She was raised on a farm near Vinita, Oklahoma. In 1923, Wadley moved to Muskogee to enroll at Draughon Business College.^[2]

Career

Wadley took the

stenographer.^[2]

Years later, Wadley, who championed Native American causes throughout her life, spoke of her experience with the BIA,

I got a job for $95 a month. That was more than anything then. I thought I was rich. I found a job with the
Seminoles of Florida.^[2]

Wadley, as an employee of the

U.S. Congress in the 1950s aimed at establishing a Native American museum in the Union Agency building in Muskogee, Oklahoma.^[1] The Union Agency building had been constructed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1875.^[1]

In 1951, Wadley began working with then

Dwight Eisenhower signed the bill into law in 1953, returning the Union Agency and the five acres back to local control.^[2]

Wadley worked with local political and community figures to plan new museum over the next thirteen years.[2] She wanted a historically accurate museum which would correctly depict and display the local Native American culture of eastern Oklahoma.^[2]

Museum

The Five Civilized Tribes Museum, which showcases the history,

Creek and Seminole Native American tribes,^[1] officially opened on April 16, 1966.^[2] Wadley became the first president of the new museum's board of directors.^[1]^[2]

Later life

Wadley retired from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1967, after a 42-year career with the agency.[1] She was a tribal relations officer at the time of her retirement.^[2]

Marie Wadley died at her home in Muskogee, Oklahoma, on September 23, 2009, at the age of 102. Her funeral was held at the St. Paul Methodist Church in Muskogee.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Co-founder of tribal museum dies at 102". Tulsa World. Associated Press. 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m "Co-founder of museum dies". Muskogee Daily Phoenix. 2009-09-24. Archived from the original on 2013-01-04. Retrieved 2009-09-30.

[tw-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Co-founder of tribal museum dies at 102". Tulsa World. Associated Press. 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2009-09-29.

[mdp-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m "Co-founder of museum dies". Muskogee Daily Phoenix. 2009-09-24. Archived from the original on 2013-01-04. Retrieved 2009-09-30.

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