A century ago, a Philadelphia philanthropist sponsored a series of
journeys to the American West to document Native American cultures and
traditions. The Wanamaker Expeditions, conducted between 1908 and 1913,
visited Crow Agency, Montana, near the site of the Battle of Little
Bighorn. In words and images, the expeditions recorded aspects of the
tribal lifestyle that were rapidly disappearing as Native Americans were
pressured to assimilate into mainstream society. This book offers
fascinating glimpses of life during that transitional period among the
Crow, Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Dakota, and other tribes of the northern
plains.
The Wanamaker Expeditions organized a gathering of Native American
chiefs from across the country for an event known as The Last Great
Indian Council. This volume offers a fascinating record of speeches from
the occasion along with the participants' renditions of folkloric tales
and their firsthand accounts of Custer's Last Stand. Best of all, 80
historic photographs by Dr. Joseph K. Dixon offer a stunning gallery of
scenes from Native American life, including reenactments of ceremonies
and portraits of leaders in traditional regalia.
