The list of “Things-You-May-Not-Know-About-Me” would probably begin with with the fact that I have a bachelor’s degree in anthropology. I actually worked as an archaeologist way back in the Before Time… so, you can imagine how I get excited about cultural things.
For years, I’ve been a fan of a gentleman from the early 1900’s named Edward S. Curtis. He was a photographer and ethnographer who amassed a terrific portfolio of over 40,000 photos of the North American Indian. I have a print of his hanging in my living room! Think of the classic portrait of Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, that’s an Edward Curtis photo!
He was an interesting, interesting man. I’m reading a book about him entitled Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher. I’d recommend it heartily. Edward Curtis had a sixth grade education, but fell into a group of men including C. Merriam, as in co-founder of the National Geographic Society, and Bird Grinnell, founder of the Audubon Society. They granted him more access to other gentlemen like Theodore Roosevelt and J. P. Morgan!
Anyway, before I continue this lecture… the point is… we have 30 Edward S. Curtis photographs now on display at the Ten Sleep Library. I spent the afternoon crawling up and down a ladder, sweating and measuring!
These are Plains Indian portraits, courtesy of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
If you get a chance, please come down and see them… and / or read about Edward S. Curtis… my lecture will continue to any willing to listen! I’m so excited!
Find me here!
there was an article about Edward Curtis in the magazine Cowboys and
Indians. I think it was one of the spring 2018 issues. Very interesting.
How nice that your library can display his photos.
Excellent! I want to see it next week. I really enjoy his work and my former university also had a gallery of his prints. He was, I think, originally from Wisconsin.
Yes, Wisconsin, Minnesota, then Seattle. They have a lot of his photos at Little America in Cheyenne…
How long will they be there?
The month of July in Ten Sleep. The month of August in Worland.
A video is a great idea! Thanks for sharing. Edward Curtis would be so proud of this display and your post! Love the display in the children’s section of your library – aren’t the Daring and Dangerous books so much fun for kids? Much better than electronic devices. 🙂
Any book is better than devices!!! There’s plenty of time for them to use them when they’re older… kids need to read and be outside!
OH! WOW!!! How awesome. Can you do a video of them? Would love to see them all.
Great idea… I’ll work on that.