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National Anthropological Archives
MS 2005-07 Red Thunder Cloud collection
Summary
- Collection ID:
- NAA.MS2005-07
- Creators:
-
Unti, Oreste VincentRed Thunder Cloud, 1919-1996
- Dates:
-
undated
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
5 Pages1 photographic print; and 1 periodical
- Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
Materials relating to Red Thunder Cloud collected by his friend Oreste Vincent Unti: (1) Photographic print (8x10) inscribed "Best wishes Bernie from Red Thunder Cloud." (2) Two-page letter in Spanish to Oreste Unti from Armando Diaz, East Hampton, NY, May 22, 1945. (3) Two-page letter to Oreste Unti from "Your Brother Tez" [i.e. Red Thunder Cloud], Catawba Lodge, East Hampton, NY, n.d. (4) Photocopy of obituary for Oreste Vincent Unti published in the Chestnut Hill Local (Oct 25, 2001). (5) Periodical published by Red Thunder Cloud at Catawba Lodge: "The Indian War Drum: The Voice of the Eastern Indians" Vol. 1 No 2. (Feb 1946).
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Red Thunder Cloud was an alias of Cromwell Ashbie Hawkins West (1922-1996), who posed as a Catawba and native speaker of the language. In 1938, he wrote a letter to Frank G. Speck, introducing himself as a "16 year old Catawba Indian." He continued his masquerade for the rest of his life and served as an assistant and informant to linguists and anthropologists. While his veracity was questioned by some, it was not until his death that it was confirmed that he was not Catawba, much less a Native American. For more information, please see Ives Goddard's article "The Identity of Red Thunder Cloud" at http://anthropology.si.edu/goddard1.html.
Using the Collection
Citation
Manuscript 2005-07 Red Thunder Cloud collection, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
More Information
Local Numbers
Local Numbers
NAA MS 2005-07
Keywords
Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
---|---|---|---|
Indians of North America -- Ethnic identity | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Correspondence | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Photographs | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Catawba Indians | Cultural Context | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Indians of North America -- Southern states | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
National Anthropological Archives
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