A number of archives have preserved Choctaw language materials, including:
- the Oklahoma Historical Society
- University of Oklahoma’s Western History Collection
- the University of Tulsa’s McFarlin Library
- the Smithsonian Institution’s National Anthropological Archives
- the American Philosophical Society Library
- Alabama Department of Archives and History (Henry S. Halbert Papers)
- Gilcrease Museum
The following links are a selection of online scans of manuscripts.
In the 1860s and 1870s, several questionnaires were published seeking basic vocabulary and simple sentences in the languages of North America. Rev. Allen Wright filled out one questionnaire while visiting with a delegation to Washington, D. C.:
- Wright, Allen. [Choctaw vocabulary]. Ms. 580-a, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian. Link
- Wright, Allen. [Choctaw vocabulary]. Ms. 580-c, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian. Link
In 1885, a young Choctaw man named Peter James Hudson filled out another questionnaire:
- Hudson, Peter James. 1885. [Choctaw vocabulary recorded in J.W. Powell’s Introduction to the Study of Indian Languages.] Ms. 584, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian. Link
In 1881-1882, Albert S. Gatschet worked with speakers near New Orleans to fill out another survey:
- Gatschet, Albert S. 1881-1882. [Choctaw vocabulary recorded in J. W. Powell’s Introduction to the Study of Indian Languages.] Ms. 586, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian. Link
In 1886, Albert S. Gatschet recorded words and phrases in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.
- Gatschet, Albert S. 1886. [Words, phrases, and sentences in the Cha’hta language.] Ms. 567, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian. Link
In 1888, Albert S. Gatchet recorded information from Delegate and former governor McCurtain.
- Gatschet, Albert S. 1888. [Choctaw vocabulary and local names]. Ms. 2474, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian. Link