This collection documents the research Robert E. Johnson conducted for his dissertation on the Coeur d'Alene language, as well as his fieldwork on the Makah language. Johnson's papers consist of field notes, audio recordings, index cards, and transcripts concerning both languages. The Coeur d'Alene recordings are of Lawrence Nicodemus. The Makah recordings were done with several of the last remaining speakers of that language, most of whom were over eighty years old when the recordings were made.
Arrangement:
The collection is organized into two series: 1) Coeur d'Alene Language, 1969 and 2) Makah Language, 1971.
Biographical / Historical:
Robert E. Johnson, an anthropological linguist, received a B.A. in psychology from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in anthropology from Washington State University. As a doctoral student he conducted field research on the Coeur d'Alene language on the tribe's reservation in Idaho (1969 and 1970). In 1971, he did fieldwork on the Makah language in Washington state.
Johnson began teaching at Gallaudet University's Department of Linguistics in 1981. While there, he engaged in research on the phonetic, phonological, and morphological structures of signed languages. He studied the structures of American Sign Language, Argentine Sign Language, and the sign language of a Yucatec Maya community. He also worked with Scott Liddell on a phonetic notation system for signed languages and co-authored with Liddell and Carol Erting "Unlocking the Curriculum: Principles of Achieving Access in Deaf Education." In addition, he provided consulting services as an expert witness on Miranda rights for deaf suspects.
Johnson retired from Gallaudet University in December of 2011.
Sources Consulted
Johnson, Robert. n.d. Robert Johnson, PhD. Accessed April 10, 2013. http://www.gallaudet.edu/faculty-staff/linguistics/johnson_robert_e.html
Johnson, Robert. n.d. Robert Johnson, PhD. Accessed April 10, 2013. http://www.mendeley.com/profiles/robert-johnson2/
Related Materials:
The Human Studies Film Archives holds Robert E. Johnson's Mayan sign language video tapes and related notebooks.
Provenance:
These papers were donated to the National Anthropological Archives by Robert E. Johnson upon his retirement from Gallaudet University in 2011.
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Contact repository for terms of use.
Topic:
Language and languages -- Documentation Search this
Robert E. Johnson papers on the Coeur d'Alene and Makah languages, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Digitization and preparation of most of this material for online access has been funded through generous support from the Arcadia Fund and by National Science Foundation under BCS Grant No. 1561167 and the Recovering Voices initiative at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
This series of portraits contains 8 rare photographic prints of a joint Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) and Umatilla delegation visit to Washington, D.C. in 1900. The portraits were taken by an unknown photographer and depict both Native and non-Native individuals, some of whom remain unidentified. This delegation visit was one of many Chief Joseph (Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt) made in his lifetime to advocate for the return of the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) from the Colville Indian Reservation to their original tribal lands in Wallowa Valley, Oregon, from which they had been forcibly removed. During this visit in 1900, Chief Joseph met with General Nelson A. Miles, who had captured Chief Joseph in 1877, at the War Department. General Miles then introduced Chief Joseph to the Secretery of the Interior, Ethan Allen Hitchcock. Chief Joseph urged both men to use their influence to restore the original Nimiipuu land, but this request was not granted.
The delegates appearing in this series includes Cayuse delegate Chief Paul Showaway and Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) delegates Chief Joseph (Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt), Stephen J. Reuben, and Chief Peo Peo Tholekt (Peopeotahlikt/Peo Peo T'olikt/Peo-Peo-Ta-Lakt/George Peo-peo-tah-likt/Bird Alighting). Stephen J. Reuben was Chief Joseph's nephew, and acted as an interpreter for this visit. This series was possibly photographed outside of 1111 Masachussets Avenue, Washington, D.C. Additional identifications were provided by Nakia Williamson-Cloud, Nez Perce Tribe Cultural Resource Program, 2003.
Photographic prints include P13196-P13203.
Note: Although these photographs were originally catlogued as having been taken in 1889, contemporary newspaper accounts and related photographic collections attest to this delegation visit occurring in the year 1900.
Related Materials:
Washington State University Library possesses additional photographs from this delegation visit. See WSU's National Park Service (NPS) Nez Perce Historic Images Collection (images EPE-HI-2928 and NEPE-HI-3232).
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archives Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not modified in any way, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian. For more information please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use and NMAI Archive Center's Digital Image request website.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Captain Allyn Capron photograph collection, image #, NMAI.AC.152; National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Photograph depicting Chief Peo Peo Tholekt (Nimiipuu [Nez Perce]), left, and Chief Paul Showaway (Cayuse), right, posed outside of a brick building. Both men wear traditional clothing. This photograph was likely taken in March or April of 1900, possibly at 1111 Massachusetts Avenue, during a delegation visit to Washington, D.C. led by Chief Joseph. The photographer is unknown.
Related Materials:
Washington State University Library possesses a photograph depicting this scene from a slightly different angle. The photographic identifier is NEPE-HI-3232.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archives Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not modified in any way, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian. For more information please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use and NMAI Archive Center's Digital Image request website.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Captain Allyn Capron photograph collection, image #, NMAI.AC.152; National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Portrait depicting Chief Paul Showaway (Cayuse) wearing traditional clothing and standing on a lawn in front of a fence. His clothes include bandolier sashes, a fringed hide jacket, and a feather headdress. This photograph was likely taken in March or April of 1900, possibly at 1111 Massachusetts Avenue, during a delegation visit to Washington, D.C. led by Chief Joseph. The photographer is unknown.
Related Materials:
Washington State University Library possesses an uncropped version of this photograph with the identifier NEPE-HI-2928.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archives Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not modified in any way, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian. For more information please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use and NMAI Archive Center's Digital Image request website.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Captain Allyn Capron photograph collection, image #, NMAI.AC.152; National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution.
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Dorothy C. Miller papers, 1853-2013, bulk 1920-1996. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
