Carlotta Archer was born on October 10, 1865, in Cave Spring, near Locust Grove, Saline District, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, to Mary Frances "Polly" (née Vann) and Edwin F.

[1][2][3] Her mother was born in the Cherokee Country in Georgia and removed with her parents Joseph and Catherine (née Rowe) Vann to the Indian Territory in 1824 prior to the Trail of Tears.

[10] Archer first worked at a rural school to earn money to attend Monticello Seminary in Godfrey, Illinois in 1891.

[1][11] After returning to Indian Territory, she taught music in Muskogee, at Alice Robinson Presbyterian Mission School, later Henry Kendall College, and now the University of Tulsa.

[10][13] In November 1905, Archer was appointed by Principal Chief William C. Rogers to serve on the Cherokee Nation's Board of Education.

[18] Boudinot appointed Sam F. Parks to remain on the board of education, leaving no vacancy for Archer to fill.

[15][19] At the time, Rogers was in Washington, D.C.[18] and the assistant chief, David McNair Faulkner refused to recognize the actions of the council which was not elected according to Cherokee law.

Faulkner's communication to the individuals and not the body which claimed to be duly elected, stated that unless compelled to by the court, he would not turn over any of the records to them.

In anticipation of the termination of the tribe, the Cherokee Courts had been abolished, and neither the inspector or agent at the local agency wanted to be involved in the dispute, which meant that the Interior Department would have to resolve the matter.

[19] Their decision was handed down in March 1906, with the department refusing to recognize Boudinot as chief or Parks as a member of the school board.

[27][28] In September, the county commissioners met and approved Archer to serve as the acting superintendent until an election could be held.

[37] She also served as assistant to the field agent, Fred O. Rogers, who had responsibility over schools and conducted investigations and surveys to analyze the social and economic conditions of the Native people under their care.

[42] She continued her work with both the Red Cross and as a librarian through 1945,[43][44] and served on the Board of Directors of the Pryor Public Library until her final illness.