The Institute of American Indian Arts has opened up a major piece of Native art history. The Charlene Teters Papers, donated by the Spokane artist, educator, and activist herself, are now available to researchers through the IAIA Research Center for Contemporary Native Arts Archives.
Teters has spent decades pushing back on harmful stereotypes and fighting for Indigenous representation, and this collection holds the paper trail. It’s organized around her education, art practice, exhibitions, public speaking and organizing work, plus photos, audio and video recordings, and research files she gathered along the way.
A good chunk of the collection ties back to In Whose Honor? American Indian Mascots in Sports, Jay Rosenstein’s documentary that helped put the fight against Native mascots on the national radar. The collection also includes records from the broader campaigns Teters was part of, pushing back on racist sports imagery and demanding better representation in public life.
“These papers are an invitation to future generations to know where we have been,” Teters said. “They offer a glimpse into a history of persistence and a belief that our voices matter. Our stories matter. I hope these archives allow that history to continue speaking.”
IAIA President Dr. Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo) pointed to how long Teters has been part of the school’s story. “Charlene has given so much to IAIA over the years, as a student, faculty member, dean, artist and advocate,” Lowe said. “We are grateful that she chose IAIA as the home for her papers.”
Ryan S. Flahive, IAIA’s archivist, said the release fits into a larger promise the archive is trying to keep. “The IAIA Archives is committed to responsibly stewarding the records of contemporary Indigenous artists, many of whom, like Charlene Teters, helped shape current art and public discourse,” he said. He added that opening the collection up to the public means researchers, artists and Indigenous communities can now dig into this history themselves, instead of it sitting out of reach.
The move fits into IAIA’s ongoing push to make its archives more discoverable while still honoring Indigenous cultural values around how these materials get handled.
Anyone interested in digging into the Teters Papers can reach out to the IAIA Archives directly to set up a research appointment or ask about access.
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