Blackfeet Indian Writing Company facts for kids
The Blackfeet Indian Writing Company was a special company that made pens and pencils. It was located on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Browning, Montana, USA. The company started in 1972. It was a unique business because it was owned by the Blackfeet Tribe. This was part of their plan to create jobs and help their community.
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The Blackfeet Indian Writing Company
How the Company Grew
The Blackfeet Indian Writing Company began in 1972. It was a tribal-owned business. This meant the Blackfeet Tribe owned and ran it. They wanted to create jobs and help their people.
In 1981, the company grew a lot. They bought another company called Lindy. Lindy made ballpoint pens. This purchase helped the Blackfeet company expand. They became a much bigger business.
What They Made
The company made different writing tools. One of their famous products was "The Blackfeet Indian Pencil." These pencils were made from cedar wood. They came in different hardness levels.
They also made a special ballpoint pen. It was called the "swagger stick" pen. For a while, this pen was used by the US Senate. The US Senate is a very important part of the American government. It helps make laws for the country.
The company also created the 'Earth Pencil'. This pencil was special because it had no eraser. It was made entirely from natural materials. Even the ink used for printing on the pencil was natural. It was made from soy ink.
Changes and Legacy
In 1992, the company changed hands. It was no longer owned by the tribe. Instead, it became a private company. Employees owned a part of it. After this change, sales of their pencils went down. They made fewer pencils than before.
The factory where these pens and pencils were made closed in the early 2000s. Sadly, the old factory building burned down in 2019.
Even today, the Blackfeet Indian pencils are remembered. A famous composer named John Luther Adams still uses them. He uses them when he writes music. You can also see some of their pencils in a museum. There are 42 of them in a museum in Browning, Montana.
