Edward S. Curtis

Edward Sheriff Curtis was a prominent American photographer and ethnologist.

An ethnologist is a person who studies the cultures and customs of different groups of people. Curtis dedicated his career to documenting the lives of Native American tribes in the American West. Because of his mission to record these changing traditions, he was often called the "Shadow Catcher." He believed that the traditional ways of life for many tribes were dwindling. He felt that this information had to be collected immediately or the opportunity would be lost. His life's work focused on documenting Native American life as it existed before colonization.

To achieve this massive goal, Curtis used a variety of technical methods. He traveled extensively to capture visual and audio data. He took more than 40,000 photographs of members from over 80 different tribes.

Beyond still images, he used technology to capture sound. He made over 10,000 wax cylinder recordings. These cylinders captured the music and languages of various tribes. He also recorded tribal lore, history, and ceremonies. He documented practical details like traditional foods, housing, garments, and funeral customs. He even wrote biographical sketches of important tribal leaders.

Curtis did not work alone on his most famous project, "The North American Indian." This project was a massive series of 20 volumes. In 1906, J.P. Morgan provided Curtis with $75,000 to fund the work. This money was specifically for fieldwork and was not meant for writing or editing.

Because the funds were limited, Curtis received no salary for the project. The work lasted for more than 20 years. To complete the task, he hired a specialized team. William E. Myers helped with writing and language recording. Bill Phillips assisted with logistics and fieldwork. Alexander B. Upshaw, a member of the Apsáalooke tribe, also provided assistance. Finally, Frederick Webb Hodge, an anthropologist from the Smithsonian Institution, acted as an editor.

In addition to books, Curtis explored the emerging field of motion pictures. In 1912, he decided to create a feature-length film to help his financial situation. He chose the Kwakwakaʼwakw people of the British Columbia coast as his subjects. The resulting film was titled "In the Land of the Head Hunters."

It premiered in December 1914 in both New York and Seattle. This was a historic achievement because it was the first feature film with an entirely Indigenous cast. However, the film faced challenges. It cost over $20,000 to produce but only earned $3,269.18 in its initial run. Some members of the ethnographic community also criticized the film for lacking authenticity. They noted that the plot included exaggerated elements that did not reflect true reality.

Curtis's personal life was often complicated by his intense professional focus. He was born in 1868 on a farm in Wisconsin. His father was a minister and a veteran of the American Civil War. After moving to Seattle, Curtis became a professional photographer. He eventually married Clara J. Phillips, and they had four children. However, his long absences while working in the field caused strain on his marriage. Clara filed for divorce in 1916. During the settlement, Clara received the photographic studio and the original camera negatives. In response, Curtis and his daughter Beth destroyed his original glass negatives to prevent them from becoming her property.

Despite these personal difficulties, Curtis continued to work in various ways. He moved to Los Angeles around 1922. To earn money, he worked as an assistant cameraman for the famous director Cecil B. DeMille. He also served as an uncredited assistant on the 1923 film "The Ten Commandments." In 1924, he sold the rights to his film for $1,500. Later, in 1928, he sold the rights to his major book project to J.P. Morgan Jr. to secure necessary cash. The final volume of "The North American Indian" was eventually published in 1930.

Today, the legacy of Edward S. Curtis is preserved in major institutions. His vast collections are held by places like the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress holds more than 2,400 silver-gelatin prints. Many of these were made from his original glass negatives.

Other materials, such as the narrative text and photogravure images, are available online through Northwestern University. His work remains a significant, though sometimes debated, record of Native American history and culture.