"Micanopy. A Seminole Chief"

McKenney, Thomas L. and Hall, James. History of the Indian Tribes of North America; with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs. Philadelphia, 1836-44.

Colonel Thomas L McKenney served as the Superintendent of Indian Affairs under four consecutive Presidents: Madison, Monroe, Adams and Jackson. During the course of that time he became the most knowledgeable white man about the Native Americans, their history and their customs. At a time when men of color were still enslaved in America, he also became an advocate for their human rights.

When McKenney began his job, very little was known about the native inhabitants of the land. McKenney"s work caused him to  travel 7,000 miles along the western frontiers and he became determined to preserve a record of what he saw there. He persuaded the Department of War to make portraits of all of the Indian chieftans and their wives when treaty negotiations or other business brought them to Washington. These paintings formed the basis of the first museum in Washington; the Archives of the American Indian.  President Jackson"s policies regarding Indian removal brought him into conflict with McKenney and McKenney was dismissed from his government position. This gave him time to realize his dream of producing an illustrated record of the Indians.  He several skilled Philadelphia lithographers to make lithographs based upon the portraits,and Thomas Hall, a well known writer on the American West, to verify his information and help him to write the text. The magnificent resulting work, History of the Indian Tribes of North America", contained 120 beautifully detailed and laboriously hand colored lithographs which provide an unparalleled ethnographic record.

20 x 14 inches, sheet.
Hand colored lithograph.
Excellent condition save small chip in margin at lower right.

Please see our Native American section for other examples from this series.