Portrait of Native American Chief Black Thunder of the Skykomish tribe standing beside a tree. Chief Black Thunder is the leader of the native Americans from Washington and British Columbia that make an annual pilgrimage to pick the hops across the state of Washington. He first journeyed to the valley when he was a boy, at that time his people travelled by canoe from Snohomish County. He is also known as Mr. Bagley. (T. Times 8-30-1934, pg 1+)

Indians of North America--Skykomish tribe; Black Thunder; Migrant agricultural laborers--Puyallup--1930-1940; Migrant laborers--1930-1940; Hops;

Native Americans, listed in Richards records as Margie, Abraham, Charlie and others, gather under a tree at the annual tribal gathering in the Puyallup Valley at hop picking time. The Native Americans will pick the hops during the day and gather at night to socialize and play ancient games with other tribe members from Washington and British Columbia. (T. Times 8/30/1934, pg. 1+)

Indians of North America; Migrant agricultural laborers--Puyallup--1930-1940; Migrant laborers--1930-1940; Hops;

In August of 1934, Native Americans from various parts of Washington and British Columbia gathered in Audoma Park, near Alderton, two miles from Puyallup on the Orting Road. They came, as they had for over 40 years, to pick berries and work the local hops fields. In the evening they socialized by holding dances and by taking part in ancient traditions like the "bone game". (T. Times 8/30/1934, pg. 1)

Indians of North America--Social life; Migrant agricultural laborers--Puyallup--1930-1940; Migrant laborers--1930-1940; Hops; Tents; Camping--Puyallup--1930-1940;

Young native Americans dance to the rhythm of hot jazz at the annual gathering for the harvesting of the hop crop in Puyallup Valley. Audoma Park, 2 miles from Puyallup, has been reserved by its owner A. E. Applegate as a meeting place for the tribes. A dance floor has been set up for the younger tribesmen. A large group of men, women and children assemble on an outdoor concrete floor. Wires are strung from poles across the floor to hold a center light. A group of four musicians plays music from a sheltered wooden stage. Each year many of the tribes of Washington and British Columbia gathered in the Puyallup Valley at harvest time to pick crops and socialize with other tribes. (T. Times 8/30/1934, pg. 1)

Indians of North America--Social life; Migrant agricultural laborers--Puyallup--1930-1940; Migrant laborers--1930-1940; Hops; Dance floors--Puyallup--1930-1940; Dance parties;

Members of various Northwest Native American tribes gather in August of 1934 at Audoma Park, near Puyallup, for a round of the Indian bone game. The tribes have made their annual pilgrimage to the valley for the harvest of the hops. This park, owned and maintained by A.E. Applegate, is set aside for the exclusive use of the Native Americans although visitors are welcomed. During the bone game, two teams of 10-12, squatting on the floor, line up across from each other. One team has four small white bones. To the accompaniment of the pounding of sticks and tom-toms and the chanting of ancient songs, the team passes the bones rapidly from player to player. At a certain signal, the captain of the opposing team calls a halt and tries to guess which player has the bones. The ancient game is played for hours with a bright fire as the only light. (T. Times 8/30/1934, pg. 1+)

Indigenous peoples--Washington; Games; Gambling;

Native American mothers, each holding a baby wrapped in blanket, sit on a bench under a tree. They have travelled to the Puyallup Valley with other members of their tribes to pick hops. This is an ancient gathering for the Native Americans of Washington and British Columbia. The tribes represented are the Kowegians, Sheeshats and West Coast Tribes from Vancouver Island, Yakimas from Eastern Washington, Clallams, Neah Bays and Quillayutes from Port Angeles, Taholahs and Quinaults from Grays Harbor, Chahalises from farther inland, Skagits, Laconners, Snohomishes, and Lummis from the northern part of the state and the Puyallups and Nisquallys living in the valley. (T. Times 8-30-1934, pg. 1+)

Indians of North America; Mothers & children--Puyallup--1930-1940; Infants--Puyallup--1930-1940;

In August of 1934, these two unidentified young Native American girls joined other members of their tribes to pick hops in the Puyallup valley. Beginning around 1925 Audoma Park, near Alderton 2 miles from Puyallup on the Orting Road, became an official gathering place for tribes from throughout Washington and British Columbia. Here ancient games were played and the sound of traditional chants mixed with the strains of swing bands as the younger tribe members tried out the newest dance steps. (T. Times 8/30/1934, pg. 1+)

Indians of North America; Migrant agricultural laborers--Puyallup--1930-1940; Migrant laborers--1930-1940; Hops;

Two year old Marjorie Abraham Charlie kneels in the grass and straw next to a tent at the annual Native American gathering in Puyallup Valley at Audoma Park, two miles from Puyallup, for the hop picking season. The Native Americans tribes of Washington and British Columbia gathered annually at hop and berry picking time to socialize with each other and to help keep alive their ancient customs and games. (T. Times 8/30/1934, pg.1)

Charlie, Marjorie Abraham; Indians of North America; Migrant agricultural laborers--Puyallup--1930-1940; Migrant laborers--1930-1940; Hops; Girls--Puyallup--1930-1940;

In 1934, Hisasha & Ruby Kumasaka received $10,000 each in the will of 80-year-old logger Sweny Smith. Ruby, 7, and Hisasha, 5, were the children of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Kumasaka of 1706 Broadway. For eight years, the family had taken Smith into their home and taken care of him. Despite his Norwegian heritage, Smith observed the Japanese holidays, attended the Buddhist church and followed the family's customs. He spoke of the two children as his grandchildren. On his deathbed in St. Joseph's Hospital, he told the children that he was going to the Great Beyond to watch over them and their growth, and directed them to a safety deposit box in the Washington Building that contained his will leaving everything to them for their kindness. The Kumasaka family, unaware that the frugal logger had any wealth, expected only a meagre amount, but found that the will left $10,000 to each of the children. (T. Times 10/31/1934, pg. 6)

Japanese Americans--Tacoma; Children--Tacoma--1930-1940; Kumasaka, Ruby; Kumasaka, Hisasha;

Indian Festival. Photograph ordered by the News Tribune. Girls in native American costumes pose in a grassy area, with the Puget Sound in the background. (filed with Argentum)

Costumes--Native American;

A large group of Japanese Americans are pictured on the steps of Jones Hall on the University of Puget Sound campus during the Pacific Northwest District Methodist and Youth Conference on November 27, 1960. Photograph ordered by the Japanese Methodist Church.

Japanese Americans--Tacoma; Religious meetings--Tacoma;

Interview with Aaron Pointer filmed in 2022 for the documentary project "The Evolution of

Oral history interview with Lyle Quasim by Baboucarr Lowe conducted 05/07/2007. Lyle Quasim discusses civil rights issues in America and shares his history of social activism. Areas of focus include his time in the Air Force and his work with Shelter Half, an underground anti-war organization run by GIs. He also touches on his work with the Safe Streets Campaign and other local civic programs.

Oral history interviews with Louise R. Turner and Bernice C. Canada by Preston T. Jones conducted 02/09/1994. Sisters and lifelong Tacoma residents Louise Turner and Bernice Canada share their family history and reflect on how the city's racial attitudes have changed during their lifetimes. They describe their experiences as African Americans growing up in turn-of-the-century Tacoma and comment on the rise of segregation during and after the World Wars. Turner and Canada also touch on their work as Eucharistic ministers. The interview concludes with their thoughts on the importance of family values.

Interview with Alyce McNeil filmed in 2022 for the documentary project "The Evolution of Collective Wisdom."

Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Cody Bakken conducted by dindria barrow on March 18, 2023. In this interview, Cody shares his opinions on life and work. Cody believes it is important to be passionate about something and that apathy is his worst enemy. His many passions have led him to many possible futures. He says, “We don’t grow until we leave our boundaries.” He wants to help fix the world because it is we who broke it; and he hopes to earn a position in public administration because local government is where change can be made.

Oral history interview with former Puyallup Tribal Council Member, Ramona Bennett. Interviewed by dindria barrow on April 2, 2022, in the Digital Media Lab of the Tacoma Public Library. Ramona discusses her views on Indian and Indigenous rights, the people she encountered on her advocacy journey and how she continues living during difficult times. Ramona reminds us that “things shift slowly”, to “love whoever is left” after someone passes away, to put “just one foot after the other” and that her people live on because of “all the ways we pray are so hard”.

Back of Photo:
Ramona Bennett

Front of Photo:
Ramona Bennett shown with her daughter, Ee-Nuck-A-Mee, 7, is best known for her years of activism as Chairwomen of the Puyallup Tribe in Tacoma, Wash. Today, Ms. Bennett is Director of Family Services at the Seattle Indian Center where her job involves finding Indian foster homes for homeless Indian children.

Staff photo by Bruce Kellman

Back of Photo:
Ramona Bennett

Staff photo by Jerry Buck

Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Charlie Best conducted by dindria barrow on June 30, 2023. In this interview, Charlie shares his interpretation of “home” and how it has defined itself over his lifetime. To paraphrase: Home changes according to the different iterations of “self” and knowing who you are. Charlie is very conscious of how we use masks in our public and work lives. Thus, home is a place where you can be yourself and is a place that you choose, not just a place that is given to you. As the Education Manager of The Rainbow Center, Charlie’s role allows him to share his story of identity. After dealing with many personal struggles, living in the present is now a consistent daily goal for Charlie.

On February 24, 2023, dindria barrow conducted a group oral history interview with four members/founders of the Black Women's Caucus of Washington State, Tacoma Chapter. Those interviewed and photographed include (from left to right): Dr. Thelma Jackson, Caucus founder; Susan Alexander, previous president; Chana Lawson, current president; and Wilma J. Muse, longtime member. In this interview, the origin story of the Caucus is described, and the purpose of the group is explained.

Indians on foot in Grandstand with bows and arrows.

Fully costumed Indians on horseback parading through Grandstand.

These Native American girls were taking a sewing class at the Cushman Indian School on the Puyallup Reservation in June of 1918. The goal of Native American education from 1880-1920 was to assimilate the children into the dominant European culture, removing them from traditional Indian ways. One method was to remove them from their families and enroll them in government run boarding schools. By 1910, the Puyallup Indian School had become the Cushman Indian School, a large industrial boarding school, hosting over 350 students from the Northwest and Alaska. The school's focus was training the students for a place as a laborer in an industrialized America. During WWI the Red Cross entered into a partnership with schools to produce needed goods for the war torn countries. The girls in this photograph are probably sewing for the Red Cross. The boarding school closed in 1920. G39.1-163; TPL-2822

Cushman Indian School (Tacoma); Boarding schools--Puyallup Reservation; Sewing--1910-1920; Sewing machines--1910-1920;

Undated photograph of an elderly Native American with tribal markings. Tepees and other Native Americans in background. Boland Studios made a copy of this photograph on September 11, 1925.

Tipis; Indigenous peoples;

A Japanese American wedding party with their many guests posed on December 6, 1925 outside the building at South 17th and Market Streets that housed the Tacoma Jujitsu School and the Columbus Hotel. The bride, groom and attendants, as well as guests, are all dressed in American attire. Rather then wear a traditional shiromuku wedding kimono, the bride appears to be completely and stylishly dressed in a contemporary white dress, including a long lace veil, and carries a large bouquet of flowers. No one, with the exception of the two youngsters on the far right, appears to be smiling. G39.1-184; TPL-1438.

Japanese Americans--Tacoma; Weddings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Wedding costume--1920-1930; Grooms (Weddings)--1920-1930; Brides--1920-1930;