Scope and Contents note

Photographs made by Bill Groethe depicting a reunion of survivors of the Battle of Little Big Horn at Custer State Park, South Dakota, on September 2, 1948. The survivors depicted include Little Warrior, Pemmican, Little Soldier, Dewey Beard, High Eagle, Iron Hawk, Comes Again, and Nicholas Black Elk. John Sitting Bull, though not a survivor himself, was present to represent Sitting Bull, his adoptive father.

Biographical/Historical note

William M. Groethe (b. 1923) is a professional photographer from Rapid City, South Dakota, known for his photographs of Mount Rushmore and his portrait of the last survivors of the 1876 Battle of Little Big Horn. Mentored by fellow Rapid City photographers Carl Rise and Bert Bell, Groethe was the only professional photographer in attendance at the reunion of the Battle of the Little Big Horn survivors. Both Rapid City and the State of South Dakota declared September 2, 2009 as William M. Groethe Day in honor of the 61st anniversary of the Little Bighorn photo.

Local Call Number(s)

Addl. KW Subj

Location of Other Archival Materials

Groethe's photograph, entitled "Lakota Moon of the Longest Night," held in National Anthropological Archives Photo Lot 2002-02.

Custodial History note

Donated by Bill Groethe through Art Madill, 1992.