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Seeing Indian in Chicago Exhibition records

 Collection
Identifier: Ayer-Modern-MS-Seeing Indian

Scope and Content of the Collection

Exhibition photographs by Dan Battise, Ben Bearskin, Orlando Cabanban, Joe Kazumura, F. Peter Weil and Leroy Wesaw, of the Chicago American Indian community.

The eighty-three photographs in the "Seeing Indian in Chicago" exhibition document the social life and customs of the American Indian community in Chicago during the late 1950s to the mid-1980s. They depict the group life and activities of the American Indian Center (AIC) such as camera club outings, pow wows, the basketball team and expositions. There are also shots of family members of the American Indian photographers (Battise, Bearskin and Wesaw). After the exhibition photographs is a series of exhibit labels, with a box of oversize material at the end.

Select photographs have been digitized and are available on Digital Newberry.

Dates

  • Creation: 1958-1985

Creator

Language

Materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

The Seeing Indian in Chicago Exhibition records are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 1 box at a time (Priority III).

Ownership and Literary Rights

The Seeing Indian in Chicago Exhibition records are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections at reference@newberry.org.

History of the Seeing Indian in Chicago Project

The Seeing Indian in Chicago exhibition was sponsored by the D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian History of the Newberry Library. It was funded by the Ethnic and Folk Arts Program of the Illinois Arts Council and the Hyman and Marjorie Weinberg Foundation.

An outgrowth of the Chicago American Indian Oral History Project (1984), the Seeing Indian exhibition was held July 22-September 21, 1985 at the Hermon Dunlap Smith Gallery at the Newberry Library. It was part of the Chicago American Indian Photography Project which aimed to document the American Indian community in Chicago by creating an archive of photographs taken by interested community members. The exhibition honored six photographers of the Chicago Indian community: Dan Battise, Ben Bearskin, Orlando Cabanban, Joe Kazumura, F. Peter Weil, and Leroy Wesaw.

The photographs made by each of the photographers were shown to audiences at two community meetings; three photographers were featured at each meeting. In the course of showing the pictures many identifications were made of the individuals in the photographs. This community involvement meant that the pictures could be documented and made more useful to the larger community.

An opening was planned to celebrate the beginning of the exhibit on July 26, 1985, and efforts were made to make it a community event. Dancers and singers were present, and a prayer was offered by a community religious leader. At least half of the four hundred people present for the short program were members of the Chicago Indian community.

Extent

3.8 Linear Feet (5 boxes and 1 oversize box)

Abstract

Photographs from the Seeing Indian in Chicago American Indian photography exhibit, July 22-September 21, 1985, Hermon Dunlap Smith Gallery, The Newberry Library. Also exhibition labels.

Organization

Papers are organized in the following series:

Series 1: Dan Battise Photographs
Box 1
Series 2: Ben Bearskin Photographs
Box 1
Series 3: Orlando Cabanban Photographs
Box 2
Series 4: Joe Kazumura Photographs
Boxes 2-3
Series 5: F. Peter Weil Photographs
Boxes 3-4
Series 6: Leroy Wesaw Photographs
Box 4
Series 7: Exhibition Labels and Oversize Materials
Box 5

Location

3a 56 14

Provenance

D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian History, 1985.

Processed by

Christina A. Reynen, 2001.

Title
Inventory of the Seeing Indian in Chicago Exhibition records, 1958-1985
Status
Completed
Author
Christina A. Reynen
Date
©2004.
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
60 West Walton Street
Chicago Illinois 60610 United States
312-255-3512