The collection consists of photographs relating to Native Americans, which were submitted to the copyright office of the Library of Congress in and around the early 20th century. Many of the photographs are studio portraits as well as photographs made as part of expeditions and railroad surveys. It includes images of people, dwellings and other structures, agriculture, arts and crafts, burials, ceremonies and dances, games, food preparation, transportation, and scenic views. Some of the photographs were posed to illustrate literary works, including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Hiawatha, while others depict paintings or other artwork.
Collection is organized alphabetically by copyright claimant.
Biographical/Historical note:
The collection was formed from submissions made to the Library of Congress as part of the copyright registration process. In 1949, arrangements were made to allow the Bureau of American Ethnology to copy the collection and some negatives were made at that time, largely from the Heyn and Matzen photographs. The project was soon abandoned, however, as too large an undertaking for the facilities of the BAE. In 1957-1958, arrangements were begun by William C. Sturtevant of the BAE to transfer a set of the photographs from the Library of Congress to the BAE.
Local Call Number(s):
NAA Photo Lot 59
Provenance:
In 1965, the Bureau merged with the Smithsonian's Department of Anthropology to form the Smithsonian Office of Anthropology, and in 1968 the Office of Anthropology Archives transformed into the National Anthropological Archives.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research.
Access to the collection requires an appointment.
Rights:
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Citation:
Photo Lot 59, Library of Congress Copyright Office photograph collection of Native Americans, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
MS 695 Translation by George Gibbs of Indian Grammar of the Pshwan-wa-pam, Wala-Wala, Tairtla, Roil-roil-pan and Palus Languages, by Rev. C. M. Pandosy
Disarranged and incomplete. The translation of the grammar is practically verbatim as it appears in the published account but is incomplete in parts. In addition there are approximately 5 pages of "Translator's notes" which were not included in the published grammar.
Local Numbers:
NAA MS 695
Topic:
Language and languages -- Documentation Search this
Informant for "Umatilla" given on title page as Old Pus; informant for the Cayuse is Yah-tin Wi-shi-an-sha. Second language identified as probably Walla Walla by Bruce J. Rigsby, University of Toronto, in letter of March 22, 1965, in which he states that this "is definitely not Umatilla, but is rather one of the Northeast Sahaptin dialects, most likely Walla Walla." In John Wesley Powell schedule that is part of Introduction to the Study of Indian Languages.
Local Numbers:
NAA MS 1001
Topic:
Language and languages -- Documentation Search this
Citation:
Manuscript 1001, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase from the Charles Isaacs Collection made possible in part by the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment
