Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin
Marie L. Baldwin
Born	1863
Died	1952
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney, accountant, linguist
Employer	United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, Education Division
Known for	First Native American student and first Native descent woman to graduate from the Washington College of Law
Parent(s)	John (Jean Baptiste) Bottineau, Marguerite Renville (b. Jan. 13, 1842 at Pembina)
Relatives	Grandparents, Pierre Bottineau and Genevieve "Jennie" LaRence, b. 1818, François Renville and Marguerite Dumas Belgarde; sisters, Lillian, b. 1867 and Alvina Clement, b. 1868

Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin (1863-1952) was a brave and important woman. She was a Métis (meaning she had both Native American and European heritage) and a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. Marie became a lawyer, a fighter for Native American rights, and a supporter of women's right to vote. In 1914, she made history as the first Native American student to graduate from the Washington College of Law. She also worked for the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and was a leader in the Society of American Indians.

Marie Baldwin's Early Life and Education

Marie Baldwin's family had a rich history. Her grandfather, Pierre Bottineau, was an explorer who was part Ojibwe (Chippewa) and part French-Canadian. Her father, Jean Baptiste Bottineau, was also a lawyer. He worked hard to protect the rights of the Ojibwe Nation in Minnesota and North Dakota. Marie's mother was Marie Renville Bottineau.

Marie Bottineau was born on December 14, 1863, on Ojibwe land. This land later became part of North Dakota. She had two sisters, Lillian and Alvina. Marie was proud of her mixed heritage. She often called herself a "French Indian" or "French Chippewa."

In 1867, Marie and her family moved to Minnesota. She went to public schools there and also attended St. Joseph's Academy. She spent some time studying at St. John's Ladies College in Winnipeg, Canada. Later, in 1912, she decided to go to law school. She enrolled at the Washington College of Law. Marie finished a three-year law program in only two years! She was the first Native American and the first woman of color to earn a law degree from that college.

When she was 24, Marie Bottineau married a businessman named Fred S. Baldwin. Their marriage lasted only a few years.

Fighting for Native American Rights

Marie Bottineau Baldwin spent much of her life working for Native American rights. In the 1890s, she moved to Washington, D.C., with her father. They worked together to protect the land rights of the Turtle Mountain Ojibwe people from the government.

In 1904, after the government settled the land claims, President Theodore Roosevelt asked Marie to work for the Office of Indian Affairs (OIA). Her job was to oversee government agreements with Native American reservations. At that time, she was one of only two Native people working in the OIA office in Washington. Marie worked for the OIA until she retired in 1932.

Marie also became an active member of the Society of American Indians (SAI). This group was founded in 1911 to advocate for Native Americans. In 1914, Marie was on the SAI's Executive Council. She was part of a group that met with President Woodrow Wilson. They presented a message challenging how Native peoples were treated by the government. After this meeting, Marie gave a speech called "What an Indian Woman Has to Say for her Race."

In 1915, Marie was elected treasurer of the SAI. However, she soon felt misunderstood by some other leaders in the group. These tensions led her to leave the organization and step back from national Native activism in 1919. After graduating from law school, Marie Bottineau Baldwin became a powerful speaker for the Society of American Indians. She often talked about how Native American identity was changing in modern times. As one of the few Native women working for the government in Washington and as a lawyer, Marie received a lot of media attention.

Supporting Women's Right to Vote

Marie Bottineau Baldwin was also involved in the women's suffrage movement. This was the fight for women to have the right to vote. In 1913, she marched in Washington D.C. as part of the national Woman Suffrage Procession. The parade organizers suggested she create a float about Native American women. But Marie chose to march as a modern Native woman alongside other lawyers and suffragists.

Marie also attended the Lake Mohonk Conferences in 1909, 1910, and 1912. She represented the Office of Indian Affairs at these important meetings. There, she discussed public policy with leaders from different communities. As one of the few Native representatives, Marie helped challenge unfair stereotypes about Native American women. While she was at Washington College of Law, Marie became very interested in the suffrage movement. She actively attended conferences and joined "mainstream feminist conversations."

On her graduation day from law school, a journalist asked Marie if she considered herself a suffragist. She laughed and replied, "Did you ever know that the Indian women were among the first suffragists and that they exercised the right of recall?" Marie Bottineau Baldwin was proud to teach people about Native American heritage, including their long history of women's rights.

Marie Baldwin's Public Image

Marie Bottineau Baldwin first supported the idea of Native Americans blending into non-Native culture. However, she also strongly embraced her Native culture in her public life. As the only Native female student in law school, Marie understood how important it was to be respected and heard.

As a lawyer and an employee for the Office of Indian Affairs, Marie made a bold choice. For her official federal profile, she submitted a photo of herself in traditional Native clothing instead of her usual modern clothes. This was a powerful statement. Marie actively rejected the idea of Native people giving up their culture, which the agency often promoted. This portrait showed Baldwin as a woman who was proud of her Native identity while working for the government.

In her public appearances, Marie Bottineau Baldwin inspired Native community members. She also taught the public to move past harmful stereotypes about Native Americans. From 1910 to 1912, she was invited to speak at graduation ceremonies funded by the Office of Indian Affairs. The OIA paid for her travels because they believed Marie's presence as a "successful Native woman" would impress the graduates. Marie's traditional Ojibwa clothing helped show a "modern Indian identity" as she made public appearances and worked with the Society of American Indians. She used her public image to promote her political goals. She gained media attention because people were fascinated by her cultural presence.

Later Life and Legacy

Marie Bottineau Baldwin moved to Los Angeles in 1949. She passed away there from a stroke in 1952. She was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

The Washington College of Law student organization created a scholarship named after Marie Bottineau Baldwin. In 2020, during the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment (which gave women the right to vote), the journal Minnesota History called for more public recognition of Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin and other Native suffragists.