Photographs by Edward S. Curtis

Edward Sheriff Curtis (1868–1952) was an American photographer and ethnologist. Born in Wisconsin shortly after the American Civil War, Curtis' apprenticeship in Minnesota provided him with the valuable skills that would eventually define his career. Following a move to Seattle, Curtis became a partner in an existing studio, purchasing a new camera for the large sum of USD$150 (just over USD$4000 today). Following a portrait sitting with Suquamish and Duwamish luminary Kickisomlo, Curtis embarked on numerous expeditions, eventually backed by financier J.P Morgan to produce a series on the Native American peoples. It would take over two decades to produce volumes entitled The North American Indian, with nearly 2500 original prints from Curtis' glass negatives residing with the Library of Congress.