Speck-Choate Photograph Collection 1879-1881

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Speck-Choate Photograph Collection 1879-1881

http://www.amphilsoc.org/mole/view?docId=ead/Mss.B.Sp3c-ead.xml

The United States Indian School at Carlisle, Pa., was founded by Gen. Richard Henry Pratt in 1879, and served as a model for government boarding schools for Indians until its closure in 1918. Over 10,000 students enrolled at the Carlisle Training School during its 39 years, where, separated from their native cultures, the students were prepared for work in industrial and manual labor and socialized into "civilized" life. Given new white names to replace their Indian ones, the students were prohibited from speaking their native languages, were instructed in Christianity, and were fed, clothed, and housed under strict military discipline. The 27 photographs in the Speck-Choate Photograph Collection were taken by J. N. Choate, a local commercial photographer in Carlisle, Pa., and collected by the anthropologist Frank G. Speck. Choate advertised "Photographs of all the Indian Chiefs that have visited the Indian Training School at Carlisle Barracks, also of children in native and school costumes" and were intended to document the benefits of civilization that the school brought to Indians. Typical images include "before and after" shots of students in native dress and school uniforms, the school band, and shots of the students at work in the saddle shop and making shoes. Choate also took a number of images of visiting chiefs in traditional dress, including the Lakota chief Spotted Tail, and the Cheyennes Man on Cloud and Mad Wolf. One photograph depicts Richard Henry Pratt seated with Quaker supporters. Among the tribes represented are the Lakota, Laguna, Cheyenne, Creek, Lipan, and Pueblo.

0.25 Linear feet; 27 photographs

American Philosophical Society

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 6631859

Related Entities

There are 8 Entities related to this resource.

Pratt, Richard Henry, 1840-1924

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w69q3s1z (person)

Richard Henry Pratt (1840-1924) was a U.S. Army officer who fought for the Union during the Civil War, served on the western frontier (to 1875), established and administered the Carlisle Indian Industrial School (1879-1904). He advocated fair treatment of U.S. Indians and strongly believed that through education they could be assimilated into American society. Richard Henry Pratt devoted his life to public service, beginning as a soldier in the Civil War and later fighting Indians on the fron...

Spotted Tail 1823-1881

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6k46k17 (family)

Sicangu Lakota chief...

Carlisle Indian Industrial School (Carlisle, Pa.)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6fr503p (corporateBody)

The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was the brainchild of a young lieutenant of the 10th United States (U.S.) Cavalry, Richard Henry Pratt. Lieutenant Pratt had great sympathy for the misery of the Indian, even while he was engaged in subduing the hostile tribes of the West. He became convinced that the solution to the Indian uprisings lay in the education of the Indian rather than in further bloodshed. No public schools allowed Indian students, but Pratt, with the help of influential sympathi...

Mad Wolf, Cheyenne Chief

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6sp2xhh (person)

Man on Cloud, Cheyenne Chief

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xx77m4 (person)

Speck, Frank G. (Frank Gouldsmith), 1881-1950

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w618362d (person)

Frank G. Speck was an anthropologist. From the description of Naskapi scenes, [ca. 1930]. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 122523446 From the guide to the Naskapi scenes, [ca. 1930], Circa 1930, (American Philosophical Society) Frank Gouldsmith Speck was an anthropologist. From the description of Delaware Indian material, 1928. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 122440271 From the descripti...

Choate, John Nicholas, 1848-1902

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6tq927w (person)

John Nicholas Choate was born in Winnfield, Connecticut in 1848. He moved to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 1875 and opened his photography studio at the corner of Market Square and Main Street. In 1876 he moved his shop to 21 West Main Street, where it would remain. Choate was one of Carlisle's most prominent local photographers, taking portrait photos of local dignitaries, groups, locations, and events, as well as important visitors to Carlisle. In addition to creating portrait photographs in his ...

White Buffalo, Cheyenne Chief

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6c6671x (person)