The Swedish Mission Society was founded in 1835 by George Scott, Samuel Owen, Johan Olof Wallin, Mathias Rosenblad, and Carl Fredrik af Wingård,[1][2] with the aim of promoting mission work among the Sámi in Lappmarken through direct missionary work and by promoting public interest.
In 1839, SMS established three mission schools for Sámi children in Knaften, Mårdsele and Bastuträsk.
[5] The organization was a forerunner of the Swedish Church Mission [sv], founded in 1874, after which it focused exclusively on activities in Sápmi.
Sámi activist Torkel Tomasson attended a Swedish Mission Society school for a time.
[7] The Swedish Mission Society, with Bishop Bengt Jonzon [sv] of Luleå as the driving force, founded the Sámi Folk High School [sv] in Jokkmokk in 1942 and financed its activities until 1972.