Abstract
The Martha C. Knack and Omer C. Stewart Research Papers on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe contains materials collected by Stewart and Knack as research for their 1984 book,
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Scope and Contents Note
The Martha C. Knack and Omer C. Stewart Research Papers on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe contains materials collected by Stewart and Knack as research for their 1984 book,
Access Note
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.
Arrangement
Materials remain in original order.
Biographical / Historical Note
Martha Carol Knack is a cultural anthropologist born on January 27, 1948 in Orange, New Jersey to Howard Lauren and Dorthy Knack. She graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in anthropology from the University of Michigan in 1975, and has since then taught, published works, and provided consulation on cultural and Native American anthropology in institutions including the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In UNLV, she worked as an assistant professor, professor, and chairperson of the Department of Anthropology. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita at UNLV.
Omer Call Stewart was a cultural anthropologist and advocate of Native American culture. Born on August 17, 1908 in Provo, Utah to Esther Call and John Riggs Stewart. Raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but withdrew membership as a young adult. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology from the University of Utah in 1932, and, under the mentorship of Dr. Alfred Kroeber, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1939. During his studies, Stewart developed a deep interest in the peyote ceremonies in the Native American Church, which became one of his major research subjects. After serving as an intelligence officer during WWII, Stewart joined the faculty at the University of Colorado, Boulder. In the 1950s, he formed the Department of Anthropology and served as its first chair, continued his advocacy for the protection of Native American rights, and researched and consulted on land claim cases pertaining to religious freedom and the ceramonial use of peyote.
Stewart was twice married and had four children. He died on December 31, 1991 in Boulder, Colorado.
Beginning in 1974, Knack and Stewart collaborated on the book
Sources:
"Death: Omer Stewart."
Omer C. Stewart Photograph Collection, 1920s-1987. P0426. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah.
Omer C. Stewart papers, COU:1518. University of Colorado Boulder Libraries, Rare and Distinctive Collections.
"Martha Carol Knack." Prabook. 2021. Accesed August 23, 2022. https://prabook.com/web/martha_carol.knack/3433301
"UNLV Honors Outstanding Faculty Members." UNLV Media Services. April 24, 2002. Accessed August 23, 2022. https://www.unlv.edu/news/release/unlv-honors-outstanding-faculty-members.
Weaver, Thomas. "Omer C. Stewart: Advocate for Indian Religion and Land Claims." In
Preferred Citation
Martha C. Knack and Omer C. Stewart Research Papers on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, 1970-1984. MS-00274. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 1987 by Dr. Omer C. Stewart; accession number 1987-26.
Processing Note
Materials were processed by Special Collections Staff. In 2015, as part of a legacy finding aid conversion project, Franklin Howard revised and enhanced the collection description to bring it into compliance with current professional standards. In 2022, Melise Leech and Jimmy Chang further processed the collection and revised the collection description to bring it into compliance with current professional standards.