In Citizen's Garb: Southern Plains Native Americans, 1889-1891 press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Insert Date Here]

[Your Institution] Hosts Photography Exhibition, In Citizen's Garb: Southern Plains Native Americans, 1889–1891

In Citizen's Garb: Southern Plains Native Americans, 1889–1891, opening on [opening date] at [your institution], explores the ways dress—and life—changed for the Kiowa, Comanche, and affiliated tribes during the 1880s and 1890s. Indian reservations in Oklahoma and Indian Territories opened during this era, coinciding with large-scale efforts by the United States government to force western Native American tribes to adapt Euro-American ways. These efforts were meant to “civilize” the native peoples.

William J. Lenny and William L. Sawyers were among the many white entrepreneurs quick to capitalize on the romantic lure of the tribes. They set up shop in Purcell, Oklahoma, one of the many towns that sprang up on former Indian lands, to make photographs of formerly “wild Indians” for eastern consumption, where there was a great appetite for images of the West. The 53 photographs that comprise this exhibition are modern restrikes made from Lenny and Sawyer’s original glass negatives.

Some of the photographs show obvious—yet powerful—details of the acculturation process. Images of Native Americans in both citizen and native dress reflect the transition that occurred between the tribes’ past and their radically different future.

[In this paragraph, provide details about any activities you plan in conjunction with the exhibition. Also include information about museum/gallery hours, admission costs, and a phone number to call for additional information.]

In Citizen's Garb is curated by John Hernandez, director of the Museum of the Great Plains in Lawton, Oklahoma. The exhibition is organized by Museum of the Great Plains and toured by ExhibitsUSA. The purpose of ExhibitsUSA is to create access to an array of arts and humanities exhibitions, nurture the development and understanding of diverse art forms and cultures, and encourage the expanding depth and breadth of cultural life in local communities. ExhibitsUSA is a national division of Mid-America Arts Alliance, a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1972.

*Please see www.exhibitsusa.org for the most current crediting information.