Czarina Conlan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Czarina Conlan
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1906
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| Born |
Madeline Czarina Colbert
January 14, 1871 |
| Died | May 5, 1958 (aged 87) |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Czarina Colbert |
| Education | St. Xavier Academy. Baird College. Mary Baldwin College. |
| Occupation | museum curator, Native American cultural preservationist, suffragist and indigenous rights activist |
| Years active | 1919-1942 |
| Known for | first woman to be elected to a school board in Oklahoma and first woman to represent the Choctaw Nation in Washington, D.C. |
| Spouse(s) | Michael Conlan |
| Children | Lottie Conlan |
Czarina Conlan (1871-1958) was an important Choctaw and Chickasaw leader. She worked to preserve Native American culture. She was a museum curator and helped women gain more rights.
Czarina Conlan worked at the Oklahoma Historical Society museum for 24 years. She started the first women's club in Indian Territory. She also led a committee focused on the well-being of Native American people.
She was the first woman ever elected to a school board in Oklahoma. Even when the state's top lawyer said she couldn't serve, she did anyway. She completed her two-year term on the Lindsay School Board. In 1928, she became the first woman to represent the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes in Washington, D.C. She was honored in the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1935.
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Czarina Conlan's Early Life
Madeline Czarina Colbert was born on January 14, 1871. Her birthplace was Colbert, in the Chickasaw Nation of Indian Territory. Her father, James Allen Colbert, was Chickasaw. He was very involved in tribal matters. Her mother, Athenius Folsom, was of Choctaw descent.
Czarina's family had many important leaders. Her great-grandfather, Levi Colbert, was a brave soldier. He fought alongside Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans. Her mother's father, Israel Folsom, was one of the first Native American preachers. He worked with the Choctaw people.
Czarina went to local Chickasaw schools for a few years. Then, she attended St. Xavier Academy in Denison, Texas. She also studied at Baird College in Clinton, Missouri. In 1889, she did more studies at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia. On November 6, 1894, she married Michael Conlan. They had one daughter named Lottie.
Her Work and Career
Starting Women's Clubs
In 1896, Czarina Conlan started the Pioneer Club of Atoka. This was the first women's club in Indian Territory. In 1898, her club joined other women's clubs. They formed the Federation of Women's Clubs for Oklahoma and Indian Territories.
In 1899, Conlan was the only person from Indian Territory to attend a big meeting. It was for the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC) in Los Angeles. At that time, the GFWC was debating if only white women could join. In 1903, ten Indian Territory women's clubs left the Oklahoma Federation. They formed their own group. Conlan was chosen as their first president. This new group joined the GFWC in 1904. After Oklahoma became a state in 1907, the Indian women's group rejoined the Oklahoma Women's Club in 1908.
Helping Native Americans
Czarina Conlan led the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Committee for 12 years. This committee was part of the Oklahoma State Federation of Women's Clubs (OSFWC). They focused on health for women. They taught hygiene classes in Indian schools. They also gave advice on maternity issues.
In 1926, Conlan's group created a list of Native American cultural achievements. In 1932, she became a Director of the OSFWC. This meant she was on the national board of the GFWC.
Fighting for Women's Rights
Conlan was a strong supporter of women's right to vote. In 1908, she wrote a proposal for a national meeting. It asked women to push their state governments to allow women on school boards.
Czarina Conlan was the first woman to serve on a school board in Oklahoma. She was elected to the Lindsay School Board in 1909. This was ten years before women could even vote! The state's top lawyer said she couldn't serve. But Conlan gathered other women and served for two years anyway. She later ran for a state position in 1914.
Preserving History
In 1913, Conlan worked on a special project called the Century Chest Project. She collected items from different Oklahoma tribes. These included books in native languages and cultural artifacts. This time capsule was opened in 2013. Its contents were shown at the Historical Society Museum.
In 1919, Conlan became the curator for the Native American collection. This was at the museum run by the Oklahoma Historical Society. Because she was Choctaw, she could often get gifts and items from tribal members. She collected Native American artifacts and documents until 1942.
Representing Her Tribe
In 1928, many Choctaw and Chickasaw tribal members met. They talked about money issues and new laws affecting them. Their tribal governments had been ended. So, they worried about getting money owed to them for their coal and asphalt lands.
Czarina Conlan was chosen to lead this meeting. She and Estelle Ward were the only women chosen for a special committee. They were sent to Washington, D.C. to speak for their tribes. They argued for a bill to sell the coal and asphalt lands. This was the first time women had represented their tribes in Washington.
A bill to sell the lands finally passed in 1944. But some tribal members were upset it took so long to get their money. Conlan supported Chief William A. Durant in a political fight that followed.
Awards and Recognition
In 1935, Czarina Conlan was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. This honor recognized her many important contributions.
Later Life and Legacy
Czarina Conlan passed away on May 5, 1958, in Oklahoma City. She was buried at Fairlawn Cemetery. The Western History Collections at the University of Oklahoma keeps a collection of her items. It is called the "Madeline Czarina Colbert Conlan Collection." It focuses on Choctaw and other Native American documents.
