The fonds reflects Minn Sjolseth's artistic career and travels to First Nations communities throughout British Columbia and Alaska with her husband Anthony Carter. Contents of the fonds depict First Nations cultures in British Columbia between 1960 and 1980, including Haida, Coast Salish, Kwakwaka'wakw, Gitsegukla, Kispiox, and Nisga'a. Several of the contents depict notable figures, including Chief Dan George and August Jacks.

The fonds includes textual records including correspondence, ephemera, newspaper clippings; graphic materials such as photographs, slides, negatives, and transparencies that depict Sjolseth’s travels and artworks; and artworks produced by Sjolseth including paintings, drawings, and prints.

The fonds is organized into the following series:

1. Personal records
2. Artwork an Exhibition records
3. Artworks

Collection consists of 48 glass lantern slides (29 of them tinted) and 2 negatives. The lantern slides include images related to four Residential Schools: Elkhorn (Manitoba), St. Michael’s (British Columbia), Shingwauk (Ontario), and Choutla (Yukon).

Collection includes images of the schools, classrooms, and different areas of the buildings (dining room, kitchen, etc.); the staff, students, and families engaged in different activities; and surroundings of the schools (cemeteries, churches, villages, etc.). Collection also includes images of landscapes and two images unidentified villages.

Collection might be similar to the Missionary Society of the Church of England in Canada fonds, at the Anglican Church of Canada Diocese of Rupert's Land, Manitoba.

Lantern slides shows were used during the 1920s and 1930s by the Church of England in Canada to promote the work of their missionaries and to raise funds. The slide shows took place during missionaries’ services, church services, Sunday school groups, and special church programs. Usually, the slide shows were complemented with a text with basic commentary on the mission and content of the slides.

Collection illustrates the gathering of information and writing of the book “Paddling to Where I Stand : Agnes Alfred, Qwiqwasutinuxw Noblewoman.” Includes interviews to Agnes Alfred conducted by Martine J. Reid and Daisy Sewid-Smith between 1979 and 1985. Interviews are documented as audio and video recordings and their written transcriptions, and other materials gathered by Martine J. Reid and Daisy Sewid-Smith for the edition and publication of the book. Collection also contains the manuscripts and draft for the book; correspondence between Martine J. Reid, Daisy Sewid-Smith and other people; eulogies and funeral pamphlets; Agnes Alfred’s family information; historical notes; and miscellanea. Collection includes photographic materials with photographs included in the book and additional photographs gathered by Martine J. Reid and Daisy Sewid-Smith during their research, and portraits of Agnes Alfred’s parents.

Item is a close-up image of a wall with trees. According to annotations, image was taken by E. F. Meade in 1969.

Item is a close-up image of a wall. According to annotations, image was taken by E. F. Meade.

Item is an image of pictographs and petroglyphs. According to annotations, image was taken by E. F. Meade.

Item is an image of pictographs and petroglyphs. According to annotations, image was taken by E. F. Meade.

Item is an image of pictographs and petroglyphs on a vertical surface. According to annotations, image was taken by E. F. Meade.

Item is a close-up image of a petroglyph pecked on a sandstone rock with smaller rocks on the side, probably in a beach area. According to annotations, image was taken by E. F. Meade. Original slide included numbers 93 and 17.

Item is a close-up image of a petroglyph pecked bedrock sandstone with smaller rocks on the side, probably in a beach area. According to annotations, image was taken by E. F. Meade. Original slide included number 14.

Item is an image of a rock with petroglyphs, surrounded by smaller rocks and stones, probably in a beach area. According to annotations, petroglyphs were pecked on beach boulder, and image was taken by E. F. Meade. Original slide included number 22.

Item is an image of a rock with petroglyphs, surrounded by smaller rocks and stones, probably in a beach area. According to annotations, image is of a pecked boulder and was taken by E. F. Meade. Original slide included numbers 32 and 13.

Item is a close-up of a rock with petroglyphs and trees in the background. According to annotations, image was taken by E. F. Meade. Original slide included number 30.

Item is an image of pictographs and petroglyphs. According to annotations, image was taken by E. F. Meade.