Edward S. Curtis: Selling the North American Indian

Between 1907 and 1930, Edward Curtis completed his 20 volume series of photographs and ethnographic descriptions, The North American Indian. Initially, this monumental project garnered a lot of national attention and the support of such men as Theodore Roosevelt and J.P. Morgan. However, as the work went on well past the initial 5-year estimate, much of this initial attention and support faded. It was not until the 1970s that Curtis's work was rediscovered and once again became a major subject of scholarship. This site will examine this trajectory, from Curtis's developing interest in the project, to the ways that he promoted it at the height of its popularity, to the falling off of interest in the late teens and 1920s.

Originally published on the XRoads site for the UVA American Studies program. Years range from 1995-2005. Content is captured at the level of functionality available on the date of capture.