CLARENDON — Clarendon College History Instructor Dr. Ken McIntosh, the grandson of W.E. Dode McIntosh, recently donated personal papers, photographs and memorabilia belonging to W.E. Dode McIntosh, a prominent figure in Creek history as Principal Chief, 1961-1972, to the Oklahoma Historical Society. This significant contribution marks the beginning of the W.E. Dode and Lulu McIntosh collection that will preserve and celebrate the legacy of Chief McIntosh for generations to come.
The collection includes personal correspondence, rare photographs and a complete set of his papers while serving as Principal Chief for the Muscogee Nation, offering an important glimpse into the life and work of one of Oklahoma’s influential leaders. Chief McIntosh’s service marks the transition from the end of an era into a new phase of Creek affairs.
In 1972, President Richard Nixon pushed Congress to reverse nearly a century of policies meant to assimilate Native Americans into white society, eventually resulting in tribal sovereignty for tribes. Chief McIntosh was the final presidential appointment, and he successfully aided the Creek tribe to enter a new relationship that included electing their own leaders instead of being subject to presidential appointments.
