Mary Stone McLendon facts for kids

Ataloa Lodge Museum (2010) at Bacone College, Muskogee, Oklahoma

Mary "Ataloa" Stone McLendon (1896–1967) was an amazing Native American woman. She was a talented musician, a captivating storyteller, and a kind-hearted humanitarian. She was also an educator and a proud member of the Chickasaw Nation.

McLendon played a very important part in teaching and promoting Native American art. She was a professional singer, known for her deep, beautiful voice. She also helped create the art department at Bacone College and was its very first director.

Early Life and Education

Mary Kuth Stone was born on March 27, 1896. Her birthplace was near Duncan, in the Chickasaw Nation, which was then called Indian Territory. She was one of four children. Her father was European-American, and her mother was Chickasaw.

Mary went to Stone School, a small school named after her father's family. Her grandmother, Nancy Love McLish Smith, gave her the name "Ataloa." In the Chickasaw language, "Ataloa" means "song," "little song," or "anthem."

College and Early Career

In 1917, when she was 17, Mary married Ralph McClendon. Sadly, he passed away just one year later from the Spanish flu. At that time, she was studying at the Oklahoma College for Woman.

After her husband died, she moved to Redlands, California. She wanted to be closer to her mother and brother. In 1925, she graduated from the University of Redlands.

Around 1925, she started using the stage name "Ataloa" or "Princess Ataloa." She also began wearing traditional Native American clothing for her performances. McLendon created this image of an "Indian Princess" to connect with her audiences, who were mostly white.

She became very popular for her shows. She would perform Native American dances and sing with her powerful voice. She also shared Native American stories and history. At the end of her performances, she would talk about the challenges faced by Native American communities.

After graduating, she moved to New York City. She continued her studies at Columbia University. By 1928, she shared an apartment with Chickasaw actress Te Ata. McLendon called Te Ata her "cousin," but it's not known if they were actually related. In 1927, she earned her master's degree in Religious Education from Columbia University.

Teaching Career

In the summer of 1927, McLendon moved to Muscogee, Oklahoma. She began teaching at Bacone College, a school for American Indian Baptist students. She first taught English at the college.

However, McLendon had a bigger vision. She worked hard to raise money to build a new art building on campus. By 1932, the new building was ready. Fine art then became a part of the school's classes, and McLendon became the first director of the art program.

McLendon also collected many pieces of Native American art. She built an art collection for the school, which was kept in the new building. When she left Bacone College in 1935, artist Acee Blue Eagle (who was Muscogee) took over as the second art department director.

Later, from 1950 to 1963, McLendon taught at the Idyllwild School of Music and Arts, which was a newly opened school.

Humanitarian Work

Mary McLendon was also very dedicated to helping others. Before 1932, she secured money from John D. Rockefeller to build a home for Native American orphans in Muskogee, Oklahoma. This home became the Murrow Indian Children's Home, which is still helping children today.

During the 1940s, Ataloa worked with the War Relocation Authority. She helped Japanese people living in the United States during World War II. She assisted them when they were moved to special places where they had to live during the war.

In the 1950s, she joined a committee for the Save the Children Foundation. She helped Navajo Nation families who were struggling with poor nutrition and a serious illness called tuberculosis. Also in the 1950s, McLendon was in charge of public relations for the National Congress of American Indians. She also worked as an advisor for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Death and Legacy

Mary McLendon passed away on November 11, 1967, in Santa Monica, California. She had been ill for a long time.

Her legacy lives on in several places:

• On the Bacone College campus, there is a building called the Ataloa Lodge Museum. This is the same building McLendon helped build in 1932 as an "art lodge" and classroom. It was later renamed in her honor. Today, it holds a collection of Native American artwork and historical items.
• At the Idyllwild Arts Academy, there is a special marker dedicated to her. An art studio there is named the Ataloa Art Studio. Also, a group of giant Sequoia trees nearby were named the Ataloa Grove.
• East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, opened the Hallie Brown Ford Arts Center's Ataloa Theatre in 2009.