The Louis Riel Collection consists of letters, papers, notebooks, and a single glass plate negative. For well over a century, this cache of original materials was in the safe keeping of descendants of Louis Riel’s immediate family members.

Amongst the materials are fifteen letters written by Louis Riel (1844 – 1885) to his mother and siblings in Red River, as well as a slim, worn notebook kept by Riel beginning in the 1870s. Also present are letters written by Riel family members and their close associates. A second notebook contains a transcription in French of the courtroom address made by one of Riel’s defence lawyers, Charles Fitzpatrick, followed by Louis Riel’s own defence.

All materials in the collection were transcribed and translated by Joëlle Y. Sevigny.

The Louis Riel collection consists of textual materials, and one photograph of Octavie and Marie Riel. Additional Riel-related photographs included are from the Glenbow Archives.