These papers relates to Theodore B. Hetzel's his work with the Indian Rights Association, a humanitarian group dedicated to influencing federal Indian policy. As his daughter Janet Henderson wrote to the Center's director in 1991, "Although he was trained as an engineer, he was always interested in people, especially those who were not being treated fairly. He was fascinated by Quaker contact with American Indians throughout history... [and] was always anxious to learn from the American Indians." A prominent Indian rights activist, Hetzel also served as chair of The American Friends Service Committee's Committee on the American Indian. He testified before Congress on such issues as the return of sacred Blue Lake to Taos Pueblo. Mr. Hetzel died in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania on May 27, 1990 at the age of 83.
Professor Hetzel was born in Germantown (outside Philadelphia), and lived most of his life in Delaware County and Chester County, Pennsylvania. He attended Westtown School and Haverford College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1928. He completed graduate studies in mechanical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, the Technical University of Munich (Germany), and Penn State University. He returned to Haverford College in 1936 as a member of the faculty and later chair of the Department of Engineering. During those years, he also lectured widely on contemporary Native American affairs, and as an accomplished photographer, he documented many aspects of contemporary American Indian life across North America. His interest in American Indian policy reform began as a director of American Friends Service Committee (Quaker) summer work camps for high school and college-age students. He served on the Indian committees of the AFSC and the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. In 1955, the Indian Rights Association asked him to join its board of directors. In 1969 the Association appointed him as its executive director and editor of its publication, Indian Truth. In 1971 he was named general secretary. When he retired from Haverford College in 1972, the college granted him its Haverford Award in recognition of his teaching and humanitarian service.
Hetzel's work on behalf of the Papago Indians was instrumental in their securing the mineral rights for their reservation, and his photographs were effective in obtaining improved health and sanitation facilities for American Indians. In 1961, he traveled throughout Alaska urging tribal leaders to seek title to their aboriginal lands. He also worked extensively on behalf of the Seneca Indians of New York and Pennsylvania to prevent the flooding of their tribal lands by the Kinzua Dam, and when those efforts were unsuccessful he worked to obtain funding to relocate the reservation. Along with Myra Ellen Jenkins (former State Historian of New Mexico, whose papers are adjacent to the Hetzel papers at the Center of Southwest Studies), Hetzel was an advocate for the Taos Pueblo in obtaining the return of Blue Lake, which Native American regard as sacred. He frequently testified before Congressional committees on matters relating to the Federal budget for Indian affairs and Indian health care, and in recognition for these efforts he was formally adopted as a member of the Seneca and Tuscarora tribes.
Placement of the Hetzel materials at the Center of Southwest Studies is appropriate because of Hetzel's lifelong interest in liberal arts education (he taught mechanical engineering at Haverford College) and because of the Native American focus of the collection. Fort Lewis College is one of two institutions of higher education in the U.S. which qualified Native Americans can attend tuition-free. Fort Lewis College emphasizes undergraduate use of primary materials, and a significant volume of student research projects focus on Native American topics.
From the guide to the Theodore Hetzel papers, 1924-1991, 1964-1978, (Fort Lewis College. Center of Southwest Studies)
