Beschreibung:

1. "The Indian and His Religious Freedom." Typed Manuscript Signed ("Edward S. Curtis") in pencil, 13 pp, 4to, n.p., n.d., leaves stapled at upper margin, possibly missing the last page, stains to right margin of p 1, toning, explaining his attitude toward religious freedom for native peoples. Curtis supports native religions, and is highly critical of religious persecution. The twist is that Curtis seems to argue that the native elders who force younger, more "modern" members to practice their traditional religion are the ones doing the persecuting. 2. "New Museum—Santa Fe." Typed Carbon Signed ("Edward S. Curtis") in pencil, 12 pp, 4to, n.p., July 27, 1924, leaves stapled at upper margins, pages toned and creased vertically, moderate toning to all leaves. The text of a lecture given by Curtis, this manuscript includes a brief introduction by Dr. Hewitt. Curtis introduces himself as the author of the NAI and head of the Indian Welfare League, the lone bit of political activism in Curtis's long career, in which his organization sought legal help for tribes and lobbied for Citizenship for native peoples. "... my lifetime work ... has been preparing a picture and word history of our North American Indians ... In that work I have been primarily interested in the old time Indian, his dress, his ceremonies, his life and manners ... As the head of this Welfare organization my interest is the economic problems of the Indian, how he is to live today and tomorrow, what his future will be." In 1924, the IWL efforts paid off when Congress passed the Indian Citizen Act, granting native people full citizenship while maintaining tribal sovereignty. 3. "The First Book of James." Typed Carbon Signed ("Edward S. Curtis") in pencil, 2 pp, 4to, n.p., July 16, 1924, "dedicated to Bill Garwood," stapled at upper left margin, creased vertically, toned and thumbed. A spoof on the New Testament describing an interaction with a source: "The moon did light the sand plain about James as our steps led us to this hardboiled city ... 'Whither goest thou?' With stealth we did answer, 'We are looking for the wise guy known as 'Jesus of James.' Then he did answer, 'Look no more for I am Jesus'. ... 'How much silver for a big talk?' / Jesus desiring such silver as we did offer spoke more in stealth—'The High Priest and the Governor have spoken from the housetop forbidding anyone of James talking with the strangers who camp at the edge of our city...." Provenance: Purchased by Dr. Billy Utley from Manford "Mag" Magnuson.