The James R. Hillman papers contain materials related to the work of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs. It also contains additional materials related to Hillman, including his work with the North American Indian Association and his personal writings as a history student at Wayne State University. The materials illustrate the workings of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs, the issues faced by Native Americans in Michigan during this period, and Hillman's personal leadership and work on these concerns.
The collection has been divided into two series:
The Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs series contains records related to the work of the Commission between 1970-1981. Materials include directories of Native American organizations and individuals, reports, office files, meeting information and other internal documents. This series also contains Hillman's theoretical proposal for the creation of an independent organization to distribute funds that would be run entirely by Native Americans.
The James R. Hillman materials series contains the personal papers of Hillman and documents activities related to his work with the Detroit chapter of the North American Indian Association. The series includes papers written by Hillman as a history student at Wayne State University and materials he compiled for reference, as well as his personal correspondence and clippings. Materials related to the North American Indian Association include office files, study reports and other reference documents.
James R. Hillman was born in October 1944, a member of the Wisconsin Onedia Tribe through his great-grandfather, Jake Smith. He was raised in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and graduated from the Wisconsin State University at Stevens Point in 1969. Hillman was influenced by a sense of Native American pride and a desire to combat the lack of tribal identity he sensed in many urban Native Americans. He gained extensive experience in Native American outreach and educational services at the Minnesota Employment Service, Intertribal Councils of Michigan, federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and as Assistant Indian Education Coordinator at the Michigan Department of Education.
In 1973, Hillman was appointed Executive Director of the Michigan Commission for Indian Affairs (MCIA). MCIA originated from the Governor's Study Commission on Indian Problems created by Governor G. Mennen Williams in 1956. The Governor's Commission was charged to investigate the status and needs of Native Americans living in Michigan but failed to produce immediate tangible results. However, it did raise an awareness about the problems faced by Native Americans and the need for state action. In 1965, the state legislature established the MCIA as an autonomous body within the Department of Social Services. The Commission consisted of nine commissioners appointed by the governor George W. Romney and the commission staff was overseen by an appointed executive director.
The Commission advocated for Native Americans from federally recognized tribes and Michigan Historical Tribes and those living both on and off reservations. The Commission also worked closely with the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and other private and non-profit organizations. The four main objectives of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs focused on policies to improve health, education, housing and economic development. These objectives were implemented committees on a variety of topics including legislation, scholarships, arts and crafts, health and wellness and job training.
As Executive Director of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs, Hillman coordinated the actions of the commission and worked to build ties between Native American communities, the legislature and Michigan state agencies. Under Hillman, the Commission established a legal services corporation for Michigan Native Americans, developed a Native American community health program and founded 10 additional Indian Centers to help deliver federal assistance programs. The commission also instituted several jobs programs using federal, state and private funding.
In 1974, Hillman drafted a proposal entitled "A Trust for Indians" which proposed the creation of tax-exempt organization to administer funds to other Native American organizations. The proposed organization would be run by Native Americans and while it would work with the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs, it would operate independently. While Hillman had drafted this position paper, it was intended as a theoretical exercise and Hillman did not support implementing this program. He believed creating an independent organization might compromise the funding for other programs including the Michigan Indian Legal Services program.
Following the end of his term as Executive Director in 1977, Hillman worked with the North American Indian Association chapter located in Detroit. The Detroit chapter of the North American Indian Association was established in the 1940s and provided cultural, social and economic resources for the local Native American community. During this time, Hillman also pursued a graduate degree in history at Wayne State University. Hillman authored several books about the history of the Governor's Study Commission on Indian Affairs and the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs.
