Transcripts For CSPAN3 Historical Interpretation Of Buffalo Bill 20170826

Up next from a centennial symposium held at the Buffalo Bill Center in wyoming, historians talk about how he has been interpreted in museums, his relationship with the tribes that performed with him in europe, and his art collection. This is 90 minutes. It is a pleasure to introduce our first session. The group of scholars are well respected and wellknown. They dont need much of an introduction. Their names appear on their own publications. About the history of the American West and the ability of acknowledgments, more than likely you will run across these three names. He is a resident scholar where he lives in cody because he is our go to guy where we have questions about buffalo bill. Sometime for two is the opposition here. We get along very well. We collaborate with one another. We noticed a few mistakes that the directoror him of the Buffalo Bill Center in the west. And learned all about art thel consider Buffalo Bills life and legacy in the past, as well as touching on his historical legacy, and how it stands today. We will bring up our first speaker. He has 20 minutes. Each speaker has 20 minutes. Thanks to their spouses, wonderful and embarrassing slides of them will pop up. And after all presentations, we it up to questions. Please wait for the mike to get to you. I would like to introduce paul. [applause] paul thank you, jeremy. Steves presentation is too long and you are going to have to cut it short, because i am taking that extra time. I put this on paper to give the illusion of organization, but it is just an illusion. I cant read about computer light, either. It is interesting that one of the introductory statements was about asking people what they think when they hear of a wild west show. This museum participated in a neck submission a long time ago, which i will mention in this talk, and people on the streets of new york were interviewed, asking them, who is buffalo bill . And a variety of responses was pretty wonderful. This,is a videotape of still, in our museums archives. Archives. Eums they all knew he had something to do with the old west. Would find, ife we asked, nationally, about wild west shows, that people are really going to be as aware of Buffalo Bills wild west, as we and this route as we, in this room, r. We are going to be selfreferential here, and worse than that, im going to be. Alking about the museum all of you will have had a chance to walk through this place, although it wont be about this museum, exclusively, because there are other targets out there. This is a real moment of awareness for me and hastert was, peter asked in an interview, he was our director, he was asked when dera is getting ready to blow, what would you grab from the Buffalo Bill Center . No, he said Buffalo Bills saddle. While. That to me is an indication of how important buffalo bill mustve been. Because i dont think he came here as a buffalo bill god. But, the importance of buffalo l and the attempts at main name changes in this place. There was a time when the board wanted to change the name into the western heritage center, Something Like that, leaving out Buffalo Bills name Buffalo Billss name. Despite that changed the center of the west, what he means to this institution is clear. Since we them Frederick Cody Frederick Cody died a century and a half ago, scholars have tried to come to term with his meeting, or is his meaning, or his meanings. More thano bill, anybody, symbolized that story, the winning of the west. As he embodied in his wild west show, he simplified a narrative of American History, the myth of the west, as we call it. And it was a myth that helped to unify divided nation after the helped that itit celebrated individual, heroic values, and particularly celebrated this myth of collective national accomplishment. It was inclusive, it was progressive, and it fit very nicely with the idea of progress. Nother driving myth, particularly for americans, but for most of western civilization. That myth itself, and the narrative, and certainly the winning of the west part of the narrative, became, over the years, as ambivalent as the various understandings of buffalo bill himself. Of buffaloerstanding bill, by scholars, particularly, with our National Perception of the role of the west in American History. Bills reputation in the academy came with the publication of henry nash submits virgin lands. Smiths virgin lands. Myth was a founder of the and its symbols cool of american studies. Approachhe school to American Culture that i was steeped in, and graduate school. But his take on Buffalo Bills whichd on the dime novel, was one of his sources of cultural understanding of es, and the 1928 debunking of buffalo bill by milton walsh, who himself was steeped in a myth of buffalo barry nate sells , at the endry, who of his life was regretting that he put his name first on the posters. Accidentd, it was an plus a natural gift for dramatizing himself, that made buffalo bill such a center of attention. The accident he was referring to is his discovery by ned buntline. And his understanding was that said, buffaloa bill was probably lying drunk, under wagon. Later, when of those movements and Buffalo Bills fame, which i in 1989, historian was quoted in the wall street where he got this i dont understand, but he said, we are learning buffalo bill was a very average person who, by his own promotion, transformed himself into an International Figure of mythic proportions. Quotation from that spate of things that were being said in the press, in 1989, was from the new haven said buffaloich bills represented a mythologizing greed and corruption. The west was under attack in many places. The smithsonian was about to come out with its exhibition of the west as america. It was the end of the reagan presidency and the beginning of the first bush, of course. Comingboy diplomacy was peoples focus, as perhaps something else, there must be some other way to approach the world. The idea of progress itself was in question, and there were people writing about the death of progress. Im going to go into that for just a second, because it does, despite the way this is going to sound, have some relevance for the history of buffalo bill and the museum. The United States was born in the 18thcentury enlightenment. Enlightenment was an article of faith. The American Revolution of the subsequent pressing of American Civilization itself, into the wilderness, it began to make even otherwise pessimistic observers, like new england optimistic that enlightenment could be a democratic process. Of the west, or of the winning of the west, took root before the civil war, and a blossomed afterward as it became a truly powerful unifying force. And, in the face of political and economic i talked that long already . You are really in trouble, steve. [laughter] questioned thes idea of progress and said things who came hererims found only disillusionment and left only disillusionment for the rest of us to find. Still, we seem to have in our grasp at one time, this idea that we could produce a great society. And certainly the myth of the west had a lot to do with powering that. It was the new western historians who first saw that perhaps that myth, as it had been articulated and began to play out, i think they looked back on our western past, not as a lost golden age, exactly, but as, perhaps a lost age of golden opportunity. What does this have to do with museums . Place was aof this niece of buffalo bill, and a publicity agent who worked for john burke in the wild west show in the 1890s. She had a small collection of stuff related to her uncle, particularly publicity materials from the show. She claimed that one time that her uncle had told her, when they were visiting family in seattle, that he wanted his memorial to be a museum of western history. The buffaloblished bill museum with local help in 1927. Whocome up for those of you dont know, it is connected with the Baseball Hall of fame, and that the groundbreaking team for the Buffalo Bill Museum in 1926, included speaker tie, picture tiy cobb. Cobb. Cher ty not so nearly focused on Buffalo Bills himself, that she was creating some little, narrow museum. No. She had an idea that this could become a plain your center, a buffalo bill historical center, devoted to plains indians, transportation, firearms, certainly art area what she succeeded in founding was a stronghold against the any sort ofnd future deterioration of the understanding of American West. In fact, the committee of women who were charged with obtaining materials for the museum was called the relics committee. And that was true until she was retired by the board in 1959. Like many other western historians, i came of age in the wake of fess parkers david crockett, that phenomenon. I had a coonskin cap. I really believed in crocketts motto, be sure you are right and then go ahead. To my first introduction buffalo bill was probably in the late 1950s, at lookout mountain, the gravesite. The museum there at the time was actually older than this museum. It was founded by jonny baker in 1921, i believe. Itself, the museum seemed indistinguishable from its gift shop. Under the has come, direction of steve and his predecessor, right up until the late 80s. It continued to be more gift shop then museum. Reliquaries. Were they were anecdotal. They didnt seem to tell a story, but that doesnt mean there was no narrative. It certainly doesnt mean there was no interpretation. There was an implicit narrative. And that narrative was conveyed in Buffalo Bills west, the winning of the west, heroism, the adulation of buffalo bill. Maybe you dont know, but there is a third Buffalo Bill Museum, it is in leclair, iowa. It is mostly focused on river aating, but it does have corner of mostly secondary materials related to buffalo bill. And it was in 1981, the same at that time. It was a reliquary. We like to say there was no interpretation, but really there was. It was in a section the visitors already knew buffalo bill. There was an implicit of narrative of the winning of the west. And what we mean by no interpretation, is that it was uncritical of that narrative. By 1986 this museum was reinstalled with contacts, what history did mean, it brought into focus indians, conflict. It introduced the concept of race. But those changes were driven by traveling exhibitions. So it wasnt just in this museum. In the first traveling museum that brought buffalo bill into focus was actually driven by art. Peter, in concert with museums in new york and pittsburgh, put together in a commission called, buffalo bill and the wild west. Its curator was from the hisklyn museum, but personal focus was on a buffalo bill as americas first media hero. However, they did put together a withb book of essays, contributors including peter, lamar, leslied fielder. In other words, it took Buffalo Bills seriously. And another exhibition from the buffalo bill historical center, opened in new york in 1988. And it provided a narrative context, beginning to look critically at that myth. Buffalo bill was shown as part of a process. By the way, that was a great year for buffalo bill. Had an cody, we Dedication Service for the Postal Services introduction of the . 15 Buffalo Bills stamp. Where these shown, wearing a business suit, by the way. Taking seriously buffalo bill and temporary exhibitions. The Newberry Library curator, teaming up with richard white, came to terms with the fword, index of mission called the frontier and American Culture which opened in chicago in 1984. And it focused on that oftorical coincidence buffalo bill and Frederick Turner being in chicago at the same time. Richard wrote in his essay, we need to take buffalo bill as seriously as Frederick Jackson turner. An excellent book came out of that. An essay from patricia limerick, who is here. , by the wayssay bill kittredge of montana already made this observation, that not many people were living in museum culture. Said, one measure of the true end of the real frontier was what she called the museumization of western life. By which, of course, is meant that the west had become sort of a fantasy land of authentic, constructed frontier frozen in time. A museum. Took buffalolso bills seriously. And there were other exhibitions that mentioned west, as frontier. I mean, the myth that the west end the west the myth of the west and the west as america. My favorite image was of elvis as a cowboy. Called Buffalo Bills wild west, attempted to lay to rest misconceptions about the man, and to show his and toce on europe, demonstrate the respectful treatment in the wild west show of indian people. What i am saying is, museums are not static. Sometimes they are cutting edge. Not often. But they are best at center not best at synthesizing the latest interpretations. Sometimes, to a fault. This museum underwent a reinstallation a few years ago. The staff here are working to overcome a shortcoming in interpretation that became obvious after a while. This museum reverted to the way it had been before 1986, until that reinstallation. It was a reversion to the anecdotal, with a twist. As of old, assumes, that its audience knows the narrative that the museum is setting out to illustrate. In this case, it is the hypercritical narrative that seemed to involved have evolved in the 1990s. His story is divorced from historical context. It hasnt necessarily come full but as this symposium, and the many presenters prove, Buffalo Bills present, and he is being taken seriously in his influence in American Culture. As for me, i am being forced to close. Steve, you are happy about that. My motto has become the caption in a new yorker cartoon from a couple of years ago, where a man on a couch is telling his but i likedt, living in the past. It is where i grew up, [applause] thank you, paul. Steve. T speaker is steve thank you for having me here today. It is a pleasure to be here, 110 years after Buffalo Bills died. L died. R Buffalo Bills im going to segue a little bit specific access that specific aspects about Buffalo Bills legacy. We were raised on horseback. That is the way we had to work. That is the reason we went to work for these kinds of men. Hearts response, in 1890, when grilled by the department of interior about his participation in Buffalo Bills wild west Buffalo Bills wild west. And 1903, luther standing there returned for the next its Luther Standing Bear return for the next season. Surprised to see all the indians from the reservation there. Camp, i wased the besieged on all sides, from those who wanted to go out with the show. For the lakota, the chance to travel with Buffalo Bills wild west was an opportunity. A chance to get away from life on the reservation. Toormerly nomadic people, travel the world, and reenact the life and culture that was being suppressed by the United States government. Fromhe europeans, a visit Buffalo Bills wild west was a chance to see something they had only read about in newspapers or seen in an artwork. The American West. And the lakota were the most fascinating aspect of the American West, to them. The shows trips to europe were a time to experience something exotic and unusual. Strange cultures were encountered on both counts. It was an enjoyable experience for both sides. Bear noted, in 19 two, visitors to buffalo in 1902, visitors to Buffalo Bills wild west show had a chance to visit the village. In the midst of this exchange, Something Special happened. The cultures became familiar. A single lakota woman traveled comfortably across europe. The munich count winkle was formed in 1913 so germans could celebrate the old west. Another indian enthusiast maintains the grave to which lakota visitors often make pilgrimages, from pine ridge. s wild west bill traveled to europe for the first time in 1887, it began an era of wild west performance and the United Kingdom and the continent that continued until world war ii. The lakota were the largest contingent of performers and Buffalo Bills wild west. Buffalo bill frequently stated they were the most important part of his show. They would continue to be important to all subsequent wild west shows that visited europe. In the early part of the 20th century, the nature of the venues in which they lakota appeared changed. The popular wild west shows had been replaced by circuses and worlds fairs. And they all started wild west components. Performances,ded most frequently performances by the lakota. Zoos,were also shows at including the zoo near homburg hamburg. As distasteful as that concept might be today, even germany provided opportunity for cultural understanding and cultural exchange. The nature of the performances changed over time as well. There was a greater emphasis on lakota culture. Of lakota performance in europe lasted nearly 50 years, weather changed throughout that. In terms of venues, types of performances. But the one constant was the impact of buffalo bill and his wild. West. Standard for the european understanding of the American West, creating stereotypes and establishing sympathy for the lakota that lasts today. It also provided the electrode to with an opportunity to present their culture, during a time when the United States government was trying to destroy it. Performer was referred to as, one who performs. Those who performed were paid well. They were able to travel around the United States and the world. They were able to wear the clothing, sing the songs, and dance the dance is that were forbidden on the reservation. This man was with Buffalo Bills wild west. He also acted as a policeman. While discipline among the rest of the personnel was maintained by management, the wild west created a core of Indian Police police for indian the performers. It was another way to placate the bureau of Indian Affairs of performers. The police were chosen from the ranks of the indian performers, by the performers themselves. The manager of the wild west stated, for every dozen indian performers there is an Indian Policeman. He wears a badge and is paid 10 a month more than the rest. This policeman is elected by the 12, and can be deposed at any time. Bear wasanding appointed by Buffalo Bills head of the chief of police. Standing bear was later elected and used hista, experiences in the wild west to travel u. S. Advocating for his peoples right. Government efforts were largely influenced by 19th century reformers, who felt the u. S. Had only two alternatives. Either the indians would be wiped out by the march of civilization, or they would need to the civilized. A former secretary of the interior put it bluntly in 1881, when he voiced the indians two options, extermination or civilization. Reformers rejected extermination as an inhumane, unacceptable alternative, but felt the indian way of life and culture should and. Culture should and. Should end. This was memorialized at the Carlisle Indian school let pine ridge at pine ridge. Removing children from their families, andheir they quote, unquote, Bad Influence of their lives. They could then become civilized. The paternalistic and socalled civilizing approach of the reformers was in direct contrast to buffalo bill. The flow bill and other wild west organizers felt the Indian Culture was interesting, unique, and therefore, should be shown off. They took full advantage of the fact that the west was changing, and for all its people, not just indians, Buffalo Bills wild west drew parallels between the ways of the west and dinosaurs, in their advertising, pointing out that, if you would not waste if you would not miss a dancing dinosaur, dont miss Buffalo Bills wild west. He repeatedly emphasized that he was not producing just a show, but was providing an educational exhibition. He and hiss reason, partners rejected the term show, for the wild west. In doing this, they encouraged e block arrows vaqueros, the indians, and others, to preserve their way of life. To abandon their paint, blankets, feathers, and 70 the retention and and exhibition of these is the chief attraction of the shows. But people like buffalo bill had their influence on the government, as well. Permissionble to get to get the indians to leave the reservations, and to perform. Theys performers, demonstrated a culture in the United States and europe that the government was making every effort to suppress on the reservations. Buffalo bill wild west and shows like it offered a third alternative to the two extremes of extinction, or complete civilization by assimilation. The problem had been that as visualized by the reformers and the government, merely offered and extermination of a different kind, essentially, cultural assimilation, if you will, cultural genocide. Rather than assimilation, the wild west offered cultural acceptance. This representation happened in the arena and in the indian villages, both of which functioned as more than just curiosities for the visitors. By creating village settings and performing warriors to bring their families, the shows helped maintain the family, unit and fostered the culture in which they had grown up. Even when the shows had financial and other risks to the participants, they nevertheless provided an attractive alternative to staying on the reservations. This is why so many lakotas showed up when buffalo bill was recruiting for his show. It was a clear choice the provided for an opportunity and allowed traditions to be maintained, even if in a theatrical setting. Offered a different path than the one offered by the reformers in the government. Beginning of the the buffalo bill wild west, to ,he 1930s, to the assimilation when they traveled to europe, there were greeted with the respect they were often not shown in the United States. A large crowd greeted the lakota in 1942, as you see here, in brussels. This is a very traditional statue that has been there for years. It is a huge tourist attraction today. And when visiting dignitaries go to brussels, they were frequently dressed in their ethnic costumes. That is exactly what they did when the lakota were there in 1932. And today there is a special museum of all the different costumes that were warned over the years. And this is the lakota costume. It is worth a visit. Ridge int to pine 1933, the commissioner appointed by Franklin Roosevelt stated, the Indian Heritage was as valuable as any other heritage in america. He condemned the former practice of suppressing the customs. His efforts, supported by roosevelt, amounted to a new deal for the american indians. They would be viewed not just as a vanquished people, but as a valued part of American Life and culture. This approach toward a more diverse tribal cultures across the country, as well as efforts to get more economy for the reservations, was a marked change from previous policy. The government not only ceased its labors to stop indians from in fact the company that was behind this particular performance, they andnsored in these dances, their letterhead stated that they hoped the lakota survived a century of progress. The following year, i delegation delegation of lakota traveled to brussels. Formerup included four members of Buffalo Bills wild west. sear do nding cousin, and another who started with Buffalo Bills weld west in 1894, visited europe for the nighttime. Returned tolakota pine ridge, and with the approach of world war ii, they didnt go to europe to perform. After world war ii, everything changes. In wildics interest west show subsided, and in turn you had interest in western movies. The lakota could practice their culture at home, so they did not need wild west shows. This contributed to the rise of wows that were so popular. In 2004, a time capsule from this era was discovered in brussels. It was in the form of several trunks, containing more than 150 lakota artifacts. Artifactse lakota were from before 1935. Breastcluded this plate. Was acquired by lakota delegation in 1935. They were prichard they were purchased by a local butcher who was an indian enthusiast. The collection was jealously guarded by him and was rarely seen after 1935. The he died in 1980, collection really did not surface until 2004, when it was sold to a friend of mine. And beganthe trunks researching the collection and discovered they were from the 1935 exposition. His Research Uncovered photos of the artifacts being worn in 1935, and he was able to link them to specific performers. Little boye charlie wearing that shirt that we just showed. Also led him to Buffalo Bills grave, and museum, and led to a friendship between us. Here is the brief commercial announcement. One of the results of this friendship was lakota performers in europe area did i go ahead here. How about that. Youre not going to get the commercial. I will be able to show you that picture. Culture they lakota performers left behind, has just been published by the university of oklahoma press. I am pushing it right now because it is in the gift shop, but it is part of the William F Cody series on the history and culture of the American West, which is a collaboration of the press, and the papers of William F Cody, the sponsor of this symposium. Now, to this picture. In imprint of the wild west europe remains. The Munich Cowboy Club was destroyed in world war ii and rebuilt with the help of american servicemen after the war. This is kind of fun you see that picture, i discovered this true west available in norwalk. And my wife norwegian relatives know all about buffalo bill. Buffalo bill maybe more well known in europe than in the United States today. In part, because of this legacy of his own, as well as of lakota performance. Just as museum exhibits in the United States focus on the culture and arts in europe, now there are parts in europe of the distinctive cultures of the United States. European attention to the American West and its people as moved beyond the wild west shows, to be much more thoughtful and profound. We see this exhibit at the edici palace in florence. It exists almost a sidebyside with the european masters like da vinci and rafael. There are many aspects to Buffalo Bills legacy and we will be learning about those throughout this week, not the on europes impact understanding of the American West, and particularly, of the american indians. Thank you. [applause] jeremy thank you, steve. I would now like to call up hatrick. Rick and just a note, the gift shop upstairs has all of the speaker publications that are in print. If you are looking for a copy of steves book or other presenters books, go to the gift shop upstairs. There is one table dedicated to to the symposium. I know our presenters will be happy to sign those for you, during the breaks. And, per usual, the guy from the Buffalo Bill Museum sabotaged our equipment. [laughter] i was just joking about changing your slides here, steve. There we go. Dont blame me for all of this, ok . Peter hetrick. [applause] peter this is an informal talk, so, no sleeping. I cant see you because of the light in my eyes, but lets talk about two artists. Performing artist, and Frederick Vanderbilt will need, Frederick Vanderbilt whitney, a sculptor. Patrons of the arts who had an impact on this institution, and making cody and the town, and this museum, one of the most important western art museums in america. A picture the screen, of gertrude in 1923. She is just in the process of shaping the form of that big statue on the north side of the property called buffalo bill,. Out she had come out here to visit cody and select a site for that culture. She purchased 40 acres of land this in 1935, was given to association because denver did not want it. They are both patrons of the arts. The whitney collected ashcan school, and buffalo bill collected the Outback School of art, and formed this collection. Here is mr. Cody and it 1910. His fortunes have waned a bit. 19001910, decade of he is quite a patron of the arts. Palace of thewn north, his crown jewel, his hotel, and he had to fill it with something so people would come there and stay. So we started searching for artists and he meet irving bacon bacon,oit and he invites after the season each year mr. Cody would have a hunting trip in the mountains here, and he invited mr. Bacon. He had studied in the art school in detroit. He painted this portrait of buffalo bill and his hunting group. Buffalo bills not his only patron. This other guy happened to have a little bit more money, and decided to help him go back to school. Went to the Munich Academy and studied with a r. Dman called von mar in virtualed him show brushwork, and mr. Bacon produced two versions of this painting called, conquest of the prairie, in 1908, after a couple years of studying with von marr. Conquest of the prairie, Buffalo Bills leading the wagons into the west as animals scurry away, and the indians are cast in the shadow and all we see are a bunch of their horses. Or atas commissioned, least sold to buffalo bill, and it became part of the hotel election. In this detail, you can see that virtual show virtuoso brushwork. This is a second artist buffalo bill found, and he found them in san francisco. He had grown up in st. Louis and studied at Washington University in the french technique, as well. Mostly, these are two little portraits of indians looking at the past through paintings and constructs that have been presented to them by anglo artists. This is probably a commissioned piece. It shows buffalo bill and everything that had passed from the west at that time, including whom hel hickok, with is often confused, and at the bottom is sitting bull. And then there is a painting i cant interpret. And needss by bacon, a psychoanalysis to decide what these little cherubs are doing, disrobing this white girl and tying her to a tree and turning her into toast. Horizon, on the lefthand side, is her boyfriend paddling up to savior, so it is a reversepocahontas type of situation. Like toartist we would introduce is charles still be former armyey, a scout. A lot of former scouts were invited, and buffalo bill gave him 250 to do a similar thing that they can add done a year before, and he sent him this picture. Buffalo bill hated it and said, cant you do Something Better . I think i will return it to you. I dont know if he did. Ey wanted a couple of hundred dollars to change it, so buffalo bill just kept it is in our collections today. A fourth artist, who studied germany, your in can see one of his models who is trying to who is about to shoot one of his knee caps off if he doesnt hurry up with his sketch. The painting, in the metropolitan museum today, was a sensation. The artist was catapulted into by a major new york collector. And was in great shape and could upgrade the furniture in his hoboken studio. In 1908, ruffalo bill commissioned several legacy paintings and this is the only one surviving. There is buffalo bill, trying to save at least one of the fair from the cheyenne who objected them. To point of this talk is not analyze this picture, which im sure will be analyzed later, but just to save ruffalo bill paid in a tblo bill paid him and a handful of mining stock which was worth absolutely nothing. The Subsequent Commission was canceled, and we only have this one painting. There was frederick remington. Remington hated travel. He had been putting paintings in the National Academy of design for 12 years. Of ae this noble portrait cavalry man in the ninth cavalry in arizona. He had been hoping to become a formal, national academician. This is the painting he submitted. It still did not give him a soional academy, title and 70 he quit the academy. The illustrations from the Theodore Roosevelt book were picked up, that is a nice word for it, by buffalo bill and made into posters. We dont know if the Publishing Company ever paid him for these, but this was a long time before copyright laws. That he was commissioned to do to paintings and Buffalo Bills sisters biography. In that book, we presume he was paid as an illustrator for the cody and his sister split 80,000 in the first year. The books cost . 14 to publish and he sold them for one dollar at the wild west show. Buffalo bill could afford a set of a bunch of buckskins portfolio that was produced in 1902. Another artist that came under the wing of buffalo bill was the most famous woman artist in france, at the time. Her most famous work was given by Gertrude Vanderbilt whitneys father in 1887. He went to paris in 1889, he befriended rosa, and there is richard on the right, and rocky bear on the left. He is a big guy and sort of. Warfs buffalo bill o they were invited to fault on bleu by rosa, and she painted this picture. This is how the legacy picture and up. Right, rosa on the in the middle, painting a little portrait, and mr. Napoleon, who needs a good couple of sessions ilates, on the left. Garden onesquare night, mrs. Whitney and her three children, cornelius, alice, and, i cant think of her name, come and sit in the the ip, one of the vip booths. Is inffalo bill knows who the ip booths. And the first act of the Buffalo Bills show was the deadwood stage, and it would be tacked by indians and saved by the cowboys. But it stopped that night, in front of mrs. Whitneys booth, and the driver asked mrs. Whitney asked mr. Whitney if he would like to ride in the deadwood stage, and of course he did, and he got saved and got dumped back in his moms lap. And he and his mama never forgot that. In his autobiography, mr. Whitney devotes a chapter to this episode and rights, it was the most memorable moment in his childhood. And gertrude, i am sure, shared that. He passed away in 1917. He was buried in denver, of course. Fake history,e that a bunch of drunken cowboys exhumewn and tried to the body and they were met by a world war i tank. This is fake history, but it is good, isnt it . Jeremy has told me none of that is true. But we do know several trustees down to thent legislature and they were given a 5,000 appropriation if they ever did anything as a memorial to buffalo bill, in cody. And that brings us to carolyn lockhart. She ran the newspaper here. Can you read the letter . It is really wonderful. I cant read it on the screen here, it is too little. The second paragraph says, they are going to take the money back if we dont do something fast. He please ask mrs. Whitney if she would do an equestrian statue. She sends this letter, and they decided to talk to mrs. Whitney. She says she probably could do to maybehe wants charge about 50,000. Do they send a woman in to the job. Her name is Mary Chester Alan. I had several things in common. One, what he had with the ,uffalo bills wild west show and they were very much involved in this. Sally farnan and others were just received free commissions to do big western desha equestrians ultrasparc new york. Sally is a wealthy woman. She lives in the north shore of long island with her husband holly pauly farnan. E will do a sculpture of receipt of boulevard. Glad to have even caught [laughter] sorry, im going through fast. Those sculptures still exist. Studio, she her produces this in the winter of 1924, this sculpture. Exhibited in central park. I could slow the down. In 1935 she gives that land two morenation. 5,000 buy a little limp adjacent to mrs. Whitneys land, the first Buffalo Bill Museum in 1927, which paul referred to as Mary Chester Alan and mrs. Whitney they remain very most friends for the rest of their lives. Diedmrs. Whitneys husband in 1930, it was Mary Chester Alans condolence letter that struck this sincerely. Throughout their lives mrs. Whitney died in 1842. The this out here she had some art. It investor invited mr. Cody. O see the rodeo he had also studied in munich. It scouted for custer holding on not the scalp, but the war the porsche i i call it a face plant rehistory. Todidnt swell mr. Whitney give them any money. But this gallery the studio collection in about 1957. Left, he says the thats and sees a group of andtings in the window calls hishis car and brothers and sisters and says, weve got to find this. Its the chairman of the board if we do want it. The raiment of my medical mr. Whitney. Mr. Whitney similar track for 250,000. Their own hundred 13 paintings in this collection alone. Whitney built the gallery in 1859, it opened, you can see the inaugural exhibition. Thats in the middle of the exhibit there. Stands inor currently front of the studio correction. Statues out back. Kerry and impressed by this. For this the important thing my hayes andalo from missouri, faded 63. Stops thear last of the above love, one of the great treasures. In september 1895. We have to say these former energy as an artist. The idea that it western art museum could somehow take shape out here in for buffalo bill providing the subject and energy to collect his cell for part of the great artistic legacy here. Thank you all for listening. [applause] another round of applause for all of our speakers. [applause] this softer great start. Off to a great start. We have some time for questions. Please turn the house lights on. There will be people with microphones. Please, if you have a question, ask it into the mic, and our speakers will be happy to provide you an answer. Question. Thank you so much. Im jennifer from the Denver Art Museum. My question is museumrelated. Reminds me of how, as curators, we are often the inheritors of experiences that have been crafted years before our time. The whitney collection money given biggest based off this young boys incredible experience of Buffalo Billss wild west. The legacy of Buffalo Bills, the west, is one that is experiential or you have to be there. In context of what you spoke today, how do you make that experience living vibrant for your audience . Theirs are known for static displays, textual interpretations. This really is about being there in the moment at that time. If you could speak generally or havefically to how you taken on the challenge, that would be interesting, as a curator, to hear. Thank you. Thank you, jennifer. Pitch out an easy question. [laughter] welcome, jennifer. Yes. I dont know, we have one sculpture in the wiki that is whitney that is connecticut. [laughter] 19th century, early 20th century stuff. This is a difficult thing. This gets children involved in helping with the gal leries. Their artists working on these things. Art is generally static until you get into cinematography, then it is kinetic. So People Holding the painting up you guys humbly have much ideas. Teresting i do not take more interesting. Museum, the challenge, is to tell a story well. If a story is told well, the subject is visited through the storytelling, then the object they are all distant objects. The objects become a link between the person and the narrative. A thing hasd a great deal more life, even if you cant touch it. You can look at it and see the context, make a connection, feel it vicariously, andor, in the case of a painting, you can look into it and put yourself in the narrative. That the kind of thing i think we are talking about. What peter mentions with cinematography, ive got to say maybe this was planted this way on purpose handsdown, a wonderful job at the Denver Art Museum of combining art, artifacts, and cinematography in the latest exhibit. Would you say the title for me . The western part in the film. The western, epic, and art and film. I will have seen it twice i would recommend you all see it as well. Its a combination of artifacts and part. The history of colorado calls it back story. Visit Buffalo Bills favorite watering hole while you are aloon. The buckle s [laughter] we have a few questions over here. Just a comment. If you would please, use a microphone. Microphones make me nervous. [laughter] just a comment, those of us who are excited about objects being held and experience. Thats true, your comments it looks forward, not backward, or selfcongratulatory in the moment. Virtual reality and Computer Graphics upper u offer opportunities Going Forward that have not provided ideas for museums. Objects have been looked at historically and visually and colorfully in ways that we have been havent scratched yet. People be prepared for that are not eight years old, and 20 years from now will be junior curators, they will be looking for ways to animate, narrate these objects across time, in ways that we have never been able to do it, or it wouldnt have occurred to us to do. I think it would be best to not pause in the moment, but project forward, which is what you are doing. We have a question appear. Here. For peter, i enjoyed the analogy. Gertrude was only 12 when cornelius spotted this parent didthat somehow happened that ever expire gertrude, do you think, to inspire gertrude to become an artist herself . There is a connection. It is a genuine one between the two women. This is whitney, those of us who knew her, she was a hero. Just eating is forward on that question, on that getting forward on that question. Will the and day,endent woman in her doing things to inspire art in her day, thats no woman artist could have ever afforded to do. That put her at a level par with many people. I think she recognized that. Im sure that scholarship comes will see lotswe of other insights into that relationship. They did know each other, and they did, they did, mrs. Whitney did appreciate her. When she went to france, she studied with someone, where she met this person at that time, im not sure about that. The other sculpture besides buffalo bill, its interesting. Overan see that hunched kind of humanity in the work. Then, she does Buffalo Bills. The guy is up there alive and well, representing the american spirit. As inspired artists her a lot of french artist inspired her, rosa did. Thank you. Thank you. Jennifer,o mention, you will appreciate our panel from or 306 00. 4 306 00. We will talk exactly to your question, how we grapple with the history of Buffalo Bills and each specialty. Present, we offer opportunities, try to incorporate multiple voices. I think while avoiding to great it level of well talk about this. Thank you, karen. I am preoccupied with humor. The three of you are really funny. I want stop there. [laughter] i am wondering about humor, thinking about the way some of these various figures who were curating, acquiring, interpreting and building this this humor about this whole era of westward expansion and the west . Is that a great perspective thing that we will have now . Starting to get a laugh or two here, just wondering if you were asked to the faculty their remarks tell us if you could see humor of the time. Looking at myths or stories, interpretations. Guys have to wait for you to start seeing the humor in this . All right. We will begin evening at the improv. [laughter] thats a really interesting question. Of haver that, you sort to look at the candid photographs that came out of the wild west. Theres even a picture of annie oakley laughing. She is so serious in her public persona. This numerous photographs. Joking, laughing, you probably all have seen that photograph men playing pingpong in the wild west. In the humor was important. Certainly, cody himself had a sense of humor. Iar this from years ago think this illustrates that sense of humor very well. He was introduced at a dinner in london, of military officers. In the toasts afterward, start oh, man apparently said you yankees with your inflated titles like colonel come over here and try to wow the rest of us. If you do that, we will have to come over there to the u. S. The whole room fell silent in theirere as generals guest of honor was going to respond. He said what, again . [laughter] theres a lot of humor in the show. Even in the femur of of the best essays on the cowboy is texas thes commentary on Hurricane Deck of the bucking bronco, which is very lively and selfdeprecating. As i said, if you look closely at photographs, you will see a and otherg sounds. Picture all those different people having to live together in a big tent. Paul, i think it was you that wed me the archives whether it was written. I dont know when. About queen victoria. Syrian is referring here to a wonderful invitation from a Buffalo Bills 1887 come up after the car. Theyter of humor knew and loved thought this was real. I wish it were real. Sally, just a remark. I want to congratulate steve on , then askeddgment to be buried there. [laughter] this is all he can of forms. [laughter] see, we have time for a couple more questions. Get up to earnest. Am curious about the logic of debunking. This time in the mid20th century, when a counter narrative developed. That particular quotes come i think you said it was from the new york times, describing him just average person figure of national, international renown. If you could just unpack that a little bit. What was a claim like that actually mean . Like, Ibrahim Lincoln was born in a log cabin and came to the United States. Thats evidence of something extraordinary. If an average person force themselves into renown, thats a mythic statements right there. Puncturing of the mess getting at. Thats a wonderful statement, they said. The smith desktop or bills roll. Buffalo bill represents this. Marching on in the 1980s. This is something that allowed toto somehow empowered us them people to colonize , to send them off to be put on the schools. Buffalo bill is the representative of that particular method of those people. Era,e end of the reagan where we were, where we were practicing diplomacy momentarily by sending out our troop to, too when we were in listing friendly folks in vietnam, or wherever it was, wherever it might be we are looking for some reach oppose this practicing that kind of indian Buffalo Bills, in the minds of people who look no deeper than the business of several is a concept, things have been the exemplar for those negative things the same thing happened actually in his lifetime. The same920s impulses in the words were the dissolution of intellectuals crafts, and the First World War the United States became involved, Woodrow Wilson was having his social and racial policies. This wasthe west such an important part of our therstanding became culprit for empowering our leadership, the American People to go down that path with Buffalo Bills is the reigning to think that was , maybe each generation that in the case. Ms. For good that or for ill for us. Because of that, we are all here. As long as wet americaning the old west in American Life. Last question what back here. Good morning. I really enjoyed your talk and found a very interesting. Im working here at the center of the rest, hearing all this back buffalo bill goes another peels back another layer of buffalo bill and the wild west. Much ofous about how the image of the lakota and the planes people how much of that could have been portrayed differently by buffalo bill . Do you have any inkling of that . Certainly, going back and looking at the shows everything, theres a lot of stereotypes, misinformation, real racialized versions of history that we see through the show. Despite the fact that a lot of lakota, for whatever reason, were sort of incorporated into that system, i wondered, lakota bigt was limited by how could portray themselves was limited by buffalo bill and the show of all of that. I guess my question is, how much was buffalo limited in the stories that he could tell about lakota people by other forces . It was here that he for example makes better connections for some of the lakota performers at this time. To he have over that, or how much was the narrative richard by other people, making it by other shows . Does a lot to answer with that. One of the things thats interesting. When you talk. The menus of satan. This was repeated by buffalo bill. Obviously these were given parameters. Given anwere not opportunity to tell the story the way they wanted. As you look at the progression inspiring that most recent. People dont talk about this backwards anymore. Interested there quite frankly this is what we all do. To, this might play to my audience a little bit better coming up an outfit. I think thats what performance involves to some degree. Those with the performance nature of it. Certainly as far as the u. S. Government was concerned, the things they did not like they could not control the lakota performance as practiced in the wild west shows. Thats what everyone tried to war. Did the wild west shows gift to the lakota, according to historical writers, that they themselves, understanding that who later on went on to help form the indian actors association, and advocate for the use of immigrants playing in this growing genre of western movies. P, after being in the wild west show, and decided not to stay on the reservation because he felt he could do more for his it peering around United States his people appearing around the United States. Rather than looking at it like this, i will look at that theres a lot of positive there and a lot of potential, looking back on the part of lakota, and sang with a minute. They were not saying wait a minute. They were not successful. [applause] thank you, gentlemen. This was a wonderful session. [applause] coming up this weekend on American History tv, at 10 00 eastern tonight on real america, the film, dont be a sucker, about hate filled speech. I am an american man, and americanamerican. The things i see in this country of ours makes my blood boil. I see people with foreign sense, taking all the money. I see negroes holding job, and you with another thing to go and the regular men. On sunday at 6 00 p. M. Eastern american artifacts we will sort the president ial Vehicle Selection at the henry ford museum. Just for that did this was an extraordinarily public sensational newspaper headline. To shown his fitness the president. Was hoover said coolidge trustworthy and safe. American history tv, all weekend every weekend only on cspan3. Cspan, where history unfolds daily. In 1979, cspan was created as a Public Service by americas Cable Television companies, and is brought to you today by your cable or satellite provider. This might be the only government class he ever takes. You will be a voter for ever. I need to give you tools that will help you for the rest of your life. Tuesday night at 8 00 eastern, this high school teacher, said discusses how Current Events affect history, politics, government lessons. This is about the story. Their story begins before they are born, from people who come long before them who shaped the way the world they are in is going to operate. What i contribute, where im coming from, as a part of the bigger story. In that way, allows them to take in the perspectives of others through video, other mediums. It gives them chances to say, this is how to see the world, but why do i see the world this way . How can i understand that a little bit . Taking anothers perspectives. At 8 00 p. M. C eastern on cspan, cspan. Org, and the free cspan radio app. Marks the centennial of the United States entry into world war i. Next on American History tv is homefront,a, 19171919, war transforms American Life. Brianive by act to robert actor robert ryan, this film how the film was sold to the American Public to the effort of committee on public information. And, how the senate was discouraged how this was outlawed. The documentary also shows how the war effort expanded the federal government and led to an it only industrial economy. This is about 20 minutes