Unidentified Native American woman at piano

Title

Unidentified Native American woman at piano

Description

Portrait of an unidentified Native American woman. She is sitting in front of a painted studio backdrop of a piano, and is holding a magazine or newspaper. She was likely a former student at the Forest Grove Indian Training School. The choice of props may have been intended to symbolize her education in reading and music. The back of the photograph includes a handwritten note by the subject, describing herself as an 'ugly girl' who worked hard, did dress-making, and was a musician. The note may have been addressed to Minerva 'Minnie' J. Walker, whose husband Samuel was the shoemaking instructor at the school (see a similar inscription on the back of another photograph, PUApic_008315). The photograph is a tintype, a format that was uncommon by the late 1880s, but which was cheap and easy to send in the mail.

Subject

Off-reservation boarding schools
Native American Studies
Chemawa Indian School

Identifier

PUApic_008381.jpg

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

Source

Forest Grove Indian School Collection, Pacific University Archives

Type

Still Image

Other Media

You remember this ugly girl. But remember her hard work although she is ugly. One of your Dress-maker girl. in your sew room. Also musician &c.