In response to your question about "where were the Sociologists and
Anthropologists" during the era... let me respond about
sociologists....since I am one.
Sociology during that time was focused on the urban plights of
America... a tradition of study stemming from theoritical biases
about the "causes of social problems", i.e. immigration,
urbanization, and such. Rural sociology was focused on farms, later
rural communities. Reservations were the last thing on their minds.
The discipline has improved somewhat since that time; In graduate
school those of us that were minorities (or women) jokingly refered
to the theories we studies as being written by DWM's (pronounced
dewems)... Dead White Males. This reflected our recognition that
sociology... and social science in general, has an ideological biase
of world view reflected in the assumptions of the originators of the
science (DWMs).
During the late 60's and 70's this changed somewhat. Today there are
approximately 30 American Indian sociologists. I am one of them.
Unfortunately most of us work at small rural schools where teaching
is emphasised and writing a research are not. In trying to speak for
the rest of the gang I know I'll get in trouble, but anyway....
writing about our people and their problems often takes second seat
to surviving within the context of the college! Anyway, thats today,
not during the era you were refering to.
Dr. George D. Baldwin
Chair, Dept. of Sociology
Henderson State Univerity
Arkadelphia, AR 71923 telephone: 501-246-5511 x3292