Densmore, Frances, 1867-1957

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Frances Theresa Densmore was born on May 21, 1867 in Red Wing, Minnesota. She studied at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music from 1884 to 1887. Her professional interest in the music of Native Americans dates from the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. In 1905, she made her first visit to the Minnesota tribes and in 1907 began to record Indian music under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution's Bureau of American Ethnology. During her fifty years with the Bureau, she recorded nearly 2,500 songs of some thirty Indian tribes and authored numerous anthropological and musicological studies. Densmore died on June 5, 1957.

From the description of Papers, 1886-1904. (Oberlin College Library). WorldCat record id: 27115991

Frances Theresa Densmore was born in Red Wing, Minnesota on May 21, 1867, the daughter of Benjamin and Sarah Adelaide (Greenland) Densmore.

Densmore studied music at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (1884-1886) and at Harvard University (1889-1890). In 1893 she began studying the music of American Indian peoples and eventually became an authority in American Indian ethnomusicology. Working with the Bureau of American Ethnology of the Smithsonian Institution, and other organizations, she recorded the music of many Indian tribes in the United States. Densmore died in Red Wing on June 5, 1957.

From the guide to the Frances Densmore papers., 1926-1939., (Minnesota Historical Society)
Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf MS 4243 Catalog of Music recorded for the Bureau of Ethnology National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 3261 Manuscripts relating to Winnebago music National Anthropological Archives
referencedIn Guide to MS 4558 Alice Cunningham Fletcher and Francis La Flesche papers, 1873-1939 National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Densmore, Frances, 1867-1957. After the battle / words by Frances Densmore ; music by Carl Busch. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Sutherland, James Frederick, 1892 or 3-1954,. Documents relating to Indian claim cases, 1767-1951. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Sheet Music Collection, 1898-1970 Autry National Center. Institute for the Study of the American West
creatorOf MS 3258 Choctaw music National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 4097 Rain Dancing and Corn-grinding Songs of the Zuni National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Baron, Maurice, 1889-1964. In the vale of Nahwahtonah / lyric by Louis Rouillion ; music by Maurice Baron. Macalester College, DeWitt Wallace Library
referencedIn RISM Vertical Files, Bulk, 1960-2000, Bulk, 1960-2000 1900-2004 New York University. Archives
creatorOf MS 3137 Material relating to the Music of Alaska, Acoma, and Yuma Indians National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 3378 Four Iroquois Songs National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 7008 Instructions to Mae Tucker, Bureau of American Ethnology clerk, concerning the handling of F. W. Hodge's sound recordings of Santo Domingo music, and notes by Tucker National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Braun Research Library (Los Angeles, Calif.). Sheet Music Collection, 1898-1970 [manuscript materials] : at the Autry National Center. The Autry Museum of the American West, Autry Library and Braun Research Library
Frances Densmore photographs of July 4 observances at Standing Rock Reservation, 1912 National Anthropological Archives
referencedIn Museum of the American Indian/Heye Foundation records National Museum of the American Indian (U.S.) Archive Center
referencedIn James A. Clifton photographs of Potawatomis and Potawatomi artifacts, circa 1850-1965 (bulk 1963-1964) National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 4745 Letters received by William Henry Holmes, and other papers and notes about correspondents National Anthropological Archives
referencedIn Nicolas Slonimsky Collection, 1873-1997, (bulk 1920-1990) Library of Congress. Music Division
creatorOf Paulson, Bruce K.,. Native American photographs, 1904-1905, 1928-1929, 1961. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf MS 2937 Songs of the Quileute Indians National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 4337-a Musical Customs of the Southern Hunter Indians of South America National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 4301 The Distribution of Certain Peculiarities in Indian Songs National Anthropological Archives
referencedIn MS 4846 Correspondence between BAE authors and the BAE Editorʹs office National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 3371 Manuscripts relating to the study of the music of the Indians of British Columbia National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 1609-b Menominee songs, relating to stories of Manabus National Anthropological Archives
referencedIn Photographs of North American geology and scenery, 1871-1912 National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Ayer, Harry Darius, 1878-1966. Harry D. Ayer and family papers, 1787-1982. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Society of Woman Geographers. Records, 1925-1987. Library of Congress
creatorOf MS 3488 League of the Iroquoia: Notation of League Chants for the Rituals of Condolence and Installation National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 3090 Music and customs of the Tule Indians of Panama National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 4337-b Musical Customs of the Indians of the Parana Delta and La Plata Littoral and the Gran Chaco of South America National Anthropological Archives
referencedIn Society of Woman Geographers Records, 1910-1998 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf MS 4373 Folk Music of the United States. Issued from the Collections of the Archive of American Folk Song, Library of Congress National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Parthun, Paul Robert, 1931-. Paul R. Parthun collection. The Heard Museum Library
creatorOf MS 4482 Various manuscripts relating to the music of Acoma and other Pueblos of New Mexico National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 1012 Tabulated analysis of 167 Papago songs used in Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 90 National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Densmore, Frances, 1867-1957. Frances Densmore papers, 1926-1939. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf MS 4690 Manuscripts relating to the study of Seminole Music National Anthropological Archives
referencedIn Gary Snyder Papers, 1910-2003;, (1945-2002 bulk) University of California, Davis. General Library. . Dept. of Special Collections
referencedIn Portraits of anthropologists, circa 1860s-1970 National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Densmore, Frances, 1867-1957. Papers, 1886-1904. Oberlin College Library
referencedIn Horace Mason Reynolds papers, 1895-1965. Houghton Library
creatorOf Frances Densmore photographs of July 4 observances at Standing Rock Reservation, 1912 National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Folk Arts Foundation of America (Saint Paul, Minn.). Folk Arts Foundation records, 1943-1965. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Archer, Violet. Primeval : a song cycle for tenor voice and piano / by Violet Archer ; [texts are by Frances Densomre and John G. Neihardt.] McGill University Library
referencedIn MS 4821 Anthropological Society of Washington records National Anthropological Archives
referencedIn Bushnell, David Ives, Jr. (1875 - 1941) Collection Records, 1845 - 1942 Peabody Museum Archives
creatorOf Frances Densmore papers., 1926-1939. Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Petersen, Karen Daniels,. Papers relating to Frances Densmore, [193-], 1951-1959, 1971, 1994. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Mary Hunter Austin Collection Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf MS 4075 Onondaga Thanksgiving song written down by Albert Cusick in 1903 National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Hall, Ted. World War II letters, 1943. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn George G. Heye autograph collection, 1886-1928 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
creatorOf Guide to the Frances Densmore papers, 1893-circa 1955 National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 3942 Material relating Chippewa Music, Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletins 45 and 53 National Anthropological Archives
referencedIn Maa-baa-hi Ma-hac songbook, 1992. State Historical Society of North Dakota State Archives
creatorOf Bushnell, David I. (David Ives), 1875-1941. [Bushnell, David Ives, Jr., 1875-1941 collection records, 1845-1951]. Harvard University, Tozzer Library
creatorOf Isleta corngrinding and war songs National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 3508 Eulogy of the Founders of the League National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Densmore, Frances, 1867-1957. Correspondence with American Musicological Society, 1934-1944. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 1793 - 1999. Records Relating to Visitors National Archives at Kansas City
referencedIn Century Company records New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf MS 3245 Manuscripts relating to the study of Alabama ("Alabamu") Indian music National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Guide to the Ruth Landes papers, 1928-1992 National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf MS 3370 Transcriptions of Teton Dakota Music published in "Teton Sioux Music," Bureau of American Ethnology-B 61, Washington, D.C., 1918 National Anthropological Archives
referencedIn George G. Heye autograph collection, 1886-1928 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
creatorOf MS 1609-a Menominee songs, transcriptions and analyses, not used in Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 102, "Menominee Music" National Anthropological Archives
creatorOf Photographs of Chippewa Indians National Anthropological Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Indian School Journal: Volume 6, Number 7 National Archives at Fort Worth
referencedIn Oral history interview with Dewey Albinson Archives of American Art
referencedIn Indian School Journal: Volume 6, Number 11 National Archives at Fort Worth
referencedIn Minnesota MPS Portage Trails in Minnesota MPS National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Indian School Journal: Volume 7, Number 5 National Archives at Fort Worth
referencedIn 047 - Fairs and Expositions National Archives at Kansas City
referencedIn Minnesota SP Red Wing Residential Historic District National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Indian School Journal: Volume 13, October National Archives at Fort Worth

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Relation Name
associatedWith Albinson, Dewey, 1898-1971 person
associatedWith Anderson, Ellen Wilson, 1847-1936. person
associatedWith Archer, Violet. person
associatedWith Austin, Mary Hunter, 1868-1934. person
associatedWith Ayer, Harry Darius, 1878-1966. person
associatedWith Baron, Maurice, 1889-1964. person
associatedWith Braun Research Library corporateBody
associatedWith Braun Research Library (Los Angeles, Calif.) corporateBody
associatedWith Busch, Carl, 1862-1943. person
associatedWith Bushnell, David I. (David Ives), 1875-1941. person
correspondedWith Century Company corporateBody
associatedWith Colby, Pauline, 1853-1944. person
associatedWith David Ives Bushnell, Jr. person
correspondedWith Dellenbaugh, Frederick Samuel, 1853-1935 person
associatedWith Diepenbrock, Catherine George, 1845- person
associatedWith Dinsmore family. family
associatedWith Dinsmore family. family
associatedWith Episcopal Church corporateBody
associatedWith Episcopal Church. Minnesota. corporateBody
associatedWith Flat Mouth, 1774-1860. person
associatedWith Folk Arts Foundation of America (Saint Paul, Minn.). corporateBody
associatedWith George G.(George Gustav), Heye 1874-1957. person
associatedWith Gilfillan, J. A. (Joseph Alexander), 1838-1913. person
associatedWith Good Star Woman. person
associatedWith Good Star Woman. person
associatedWith Grow, William H., 1848-1941. person
associatedWith Hall, Ted. person
associatedWith Heye, George G. (George Gustav), 1874-1957. person
associatedWith Hole-in-the-Day, Chief, 1828-1868. person
associatedWith Hubbard family. family
associatedWith Hubbard family. family
associatedWith Makawastewin. person
associatedWith Makawastewin. person
associatedWith McIntire, Henry P. person
associatedWith McIntire, Henry P. person
associatedWith Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation. corporateBody
associatedWith Oberlin College corporateBody
associatedWith Parthun, Paul Robert, 1931- person
associatedWith Paulson, Bruce K., person
associatedWith Petersen, Karen Daniels, person
associatedWith Philleo family. family
associatedWith Philleo family. family
correspondedWith Reynolds, Horace Mason, 1896-1965 person
correspondedWith Slonimsky, Nicolas, 1894-1995 person
associatedWith Snyder, Gary person
associatedWith Society of Woman Geographers. corporateBody
associatedWith Southwest Museum of the American Indian corporateBody
associatedWith Sutherland, James Frederick, 1892 or 3-1954, person
associatedWith White Cloud. person
associatedWith White Cloud. person
associatedWith White Fisher. person
associatedWith White Fisher. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States 00 US
Red Wing MN US
Red Wing MN US
Subject
Religion
Banks and banking
Banks and banking
Belgian
Belgians
Dakota Indians
Dakota Indians
Frontier and pioneer life
Frontier and pioneer life
Names, Geographical
Names, Geographical
Germans
Germans
Indian mythology
Indian mythology
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Missionaries
Norwegian
Norwegians
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Occupation
Ethnomusicologists
Activity

Person

Birth 1867-05-21

Death 1957-06-05

Americans

English

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