United Indian Traders Association (U.S.)

The United Indian Traders Association, a group of southwestern traders and merchants, incorporated in New Mexico December 30th 1931. The main purpose of the Association was to protect and promote the sale of genuine Indian hand-made arts and crafts. The organization was primarily comprised of traders who traded on the Navajo and Hopi Indian Reservations, the New Mexico Pueblos and of merchants who ran trading posts in reservation border towns. The group was headquartered in Gallup, New Mexico.

The first president of the organization was B.I. Staples of Coolidge, New Mexico. Other officers were Vice-President, R.C. Master, Zuni, New Mexico; Secretary, Tobe Turpen, Gallup, New Mexico; and treasurer, C.N. Cotton, Gallup, New Mexico. The first Board of Directors were L.L. Sabin, Fort Defiance, New Mexico; C.G. Wallace, Zuni, New Mexico; J.M. Drolet, Tohatchi, New Mexico; Ramon Hubbell, Ganado, New Mexico; Lloyd Ambrose, Thoreau, New Mexico; Bruce M. Bernard, Shiprock, New Mexico; and Mike Kirk, Manuelito, New Mexico.

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