May Montoya Jones
{{short description|American clubwoman}}
{{Infobox person
| name = May Montoya Jones
| image = MayMontoya1919.png
| alt = A young unsmiling woman with dark hair and eyes
| caption = May Montoya, from a 1919 newspaper
| other_names = Sunflower, Warcaziwin, May Jones Montoya, Marie M. Jones, May Jones
| birth_name = Mary Montoya Cole
| birth_date = 1880s
| birth_place = Texas
| death_date = 1973 (age 89)
| death_place =
| occupation = Clubwoman, lecturer, writer
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| spouse(s) =
| relatives =
}}
May Montoya Cole Jones (born about 1884, died 1973) also known as Warcaziwin or Sunflower, was an American writer, lecturer, and clubwoman based in Los Angeles, California.
Early life
Career
As a young woman, Montoya wrote about boxing and legal subjects for the Los Angeles Express and Los Angeles Herald newspapers.{{Cite news|last=Montoya|first=May|date=1919-07-15|title=Why the Fight? A Woman's View|pages=25|work=Los Angeles Evening Express|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83706029/why-the-fight-a-womans-viewmay/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |last=Montoya |first=May |date=December 19, 1919 |title=Philosophy of New Case is Defined |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=LAH19191219.2.18&srpos=5&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22May+Montoya%22------- |access-date=January 14, 2024 |work=Los Angeles Herald |pages=A1 |via=California Digital Newspaper Collection}} She also wrote for periodicals, including New Outlook.{{Cite journal|last=Warcaziwin|date=February 1954|title=Let's Discover America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NnQQAAAAIAAJ&dq=Warcaziwin&pg=RA2-PA57|journal=New Outlook|pages=57–61}} She was adopted into the family of Oglala Sioux chief Luther Standing Bear in Los Angeles in 1929,{{Cite news|date=1929-10-07|title=
Famous Indian is Entertained|pages=5|work=The Whittier News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83695515/famous-indian-is-entertained/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |last=Shippey |first=Lee |date=1933-06-25 |title=The Lee Side o' L.A. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-the-lee-side-o-l/138795230/ |access-date=2024-01-15 |work=The Los Angeles Times |pages=16 |via=Newspapers.com}} and welcomed at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1934.{{Cite news|date=1960-10-18|title=Lecture on Sioux Indians Scheduled|pages=18|work=The San Bernardino County Sun|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83706890/lecture-on-sioux-indians-scheduled/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite web|title=Land of the Spotted Eagle|url=https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/bison-books/9780803293656|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Nebraska Press|language=en-US}} She assisted Standing Bear in writing True Stories of the Sioux, My Indian Boyhood, and Land of the Spotted Eagle (1933). She managed Standing Bear's business affairs from 1935, and held the rights to these books when Standing Bear died in 1939.{{Cite book |last=Vigil |first=Kiara M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G03zCQAAQBAJ&dq=%22May+Jones%22+%22Standing+Bear%22&pg=PA283 |title=Indigenous Intellectuals |date=2015-07-15 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-07081-3 |pages=282–284 |language=en}}
In Los Angeles, Jones was president of the American Indian Woman's History and Art Club,{{Cite news|date=1930-02-03|title=Much Interest in Indian Program for Friday Night|pages=5|work=South Gate Daily Press-Tribune|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83696509/much-interest-in-indian-program-for/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|date=1927-03-20|title=Indian Women Unite in Club|pages=75|work=The Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83681991/indian-women-unite-in-club/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}} and secretary of the American Indian Women's Club{{Cite news|date=1928-02-03|title=Mrs. Noonan Hostess to Club|pages=4|work=The Highland Park News-Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83609000/mrs-noonan-hostess-to-club/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=1929-01-29 |title=Indians to Talk at Church Dinner |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-evening-citizen-news-indians/138720166/ |access-date=2024-01-14 |work=Los Angeles Evening Citizen News |pages=8 |via=Newspapers.com}} and the Popular Science Society.{{Cite news|date=1922-04-15|title=Beebe Lectures to New Science Society|pages=8|work=Los Angeles Evening Express|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83705311/beebe-lectures-to-new-science-society/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}} She spoke on American Indian history and culture at the Southwest Museum in 1928,{{Cite news|date=1928-02-25|title=Indian Club Officer to Talk at Museum|pages=20|work=The Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83696863/indian-club-officer-to-talk-at-museum/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}} and to various church and community groups,{{Cite news|date=1928-04-15|title=Society to Meet|pages=65|work=The Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83697373/society-to-meet/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|date=1930-03-27|title=Reception Given by Cosmopolitan Club, Brilliant|pages=3|work=The Whittier News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83705181/reception-given-by-cosmopolitan-club/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|date=1929-05-24|title=Shakespeare Section Will Hold Meeting|pages=6|work=The Pasadena Post|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83705493/shakespeare-section-will-hold-meeting/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|date=1929-11-25|title=Indian Motif is Stressed at Luncheon|pages=8|work=The Pasadena Post|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60471100/the-pasadena-post/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|last=McClintock|first=Ruth|date=1929-02-22|title=Women's Club News|pages=16|work=Los Angeles Evening Express|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83706281/womens-club-newsruth-mcclintock/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}} often in costume and with music and slides.{{Cite news|date=1952-03-11|title=Colorfully Costumed Indian Girl Pleads Liberties for Her People|pages=7|work=South Gate Daily Press-Tribune|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83707736/colorfully-costumed-indian-girl-pleads/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}} In 1932, in connection with the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, she was slated to represent Native American religious traditions at a Parliament of World Religions.{{Cite news|date=1929-10-26|title=Religious Conference|pages=24|work=The Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83707315/religious-conference/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}}
Jones was connected with the San Bernardino County Museum later in life; she spoke at the museum's annual gala in 1960 and 1964.{{Cite news|date=1964-05-21|title=County Museum 'Appreciation' Dinner Tonight|pages=41|work=The San Bernardino County Sun|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83707622/county-museum-appreciation-dinner/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}} In 1963, she taught a class in ethnology at the museum.{{Cite news|date=1963-12-29|title=Museum Plans Ethnology and Spanish Study|pages=11|work=The San Bernardino County Sun|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83708056/museum-plans-ethnology-and-spanish-study/|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Newspapers.com}} and the museum published her booklet, The Lore and Symbolism of Birds and their Relation to Man.{{Cite book|last=Warcaziwin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=repUuAAACAAJ|title=The Lore and Symbolism of Birds and Their Relation to Man|date=1963|publisher=San Bernardino County Museum Association|language=en}} One of her speeches was reprinted in Aboriginal American Oratory: The Tradition of Eloquence among the Indians of the United States (1965).{{Cite book |last=Jones |first=Louis Thomas |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1183694 |title=Aboriginal American oratory: the tradition of eloquence among the Indians of the United States |date=1965 |publisher=Southwest Museum |location=Los Angeles, Calif. |language=English |oclc=1183694}}
Personal life and legacy
In 1910,{{Cite news |date=1910-02-27 |title=Marriage Licenses |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-herald-marriage-of-rehart/138797131/ |access-date=2024-01-15 |work=Los Angeles Herald |pages=16 |via=Newspapers.com}} Mary Cole married O. G. (Orange Glen) Jones, one of the founders of Huntington Park.{{Cite news |date=1931-09-03 |title=Club Observes City's Birthday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-club-observes-city/138720446/ |access-date=2024-01-14 |work=The Los Angeles Times |pages=36 |via=Newspapers.com}} Her husband was describe as being a Pawnee, and a collector of "ancient pottery and relics".{{Cite news |last=Hodgson |first=Beatrice |date=March 21, 1930 |title=Bow'n Arrow |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SPNP19300321.2.172&srpos=3&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22O.+G.+Jones%22------- |access-date=January 14, 2024 |pages=14 |via=California Digital Newspaper Collection}} The Joneses divorced in 1935. She lived in Yucaipa with her brothers in the 1960s.{{Cite news |date=1961-09-28 |title=Historical Writer Makes Home Here |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/yucaipa-news-mirror-historical-writer-ma/138795842/ |access-date=2024-01-15 |work=Yucaipa News-Mirror |pages=3 |via=Newspapers.com}} She died in 1973, at the age of 89.{{Cite book |last=Sprague |first=Donovin Arleigh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B5zuKkBgAHUC&dq=%22May+Jones%22+%22Standing+Bear%22&pg=PA40 |title=Rosebud Sioux |date=2005 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0-7385-3447-3 |pages=40 |language=en}} Some of her collected artifacts are on display at the Crazy Horse Memorial.{{Cite web |title=The Indian Museum of North America |url=https://crazyhorsememorial.org/the-museums/the-indian-museum-of-north-america |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=Crazy Horse Memorial |language=en-US}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, May Montoya}}