About this episode

This episode explores the efforts of archivists at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian to correct historical records through the reexamination of photographs.

At the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, archivists are working with Native communities to correct the historical record … one photo at a time. In this episode, we go inside the archives, where century-old photographs once labeled “Indian man” or “woman in costume” are being reexamined and renamed so they can be reconnected to living descendants. It’s a painstaking effort that’s also challenging the romanticized imagery popularized by photographers and anthropologists of the late 1800s, early 1900s. Think there might be photos of your ancestors in the Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives? Check here: https://sova.si.edu/ You can read about the Smithsonian's Ethical Returns and Shared Stewardship Policy here: https://ncp.si.edu/SI-ethical-returns To submit a shared stewardship or ethical return inquiry or request, complete this form: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7447374/Shared-Stewardship-and-Ethical-Returns-Inquiry-Request-Submission-Form If you have questions about the policy, contact nmai-sser@si.edu . Guests: Emily Moazami, head archivist at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) Archive Center Nathan Sowry, reference archivist at the National…

People in this episode

Guests: Emily Moazami, Nathan Sowry, Rachel Menyuk

Topics covered

• Native American history
• photography
• archival work
• cultural heritage
• historical records
• community engagement

Keywords

• archivists
• Native communities
• historical photographs
• cultural representation
• Smithsonian archives

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Smithsonian Institution

Places: National Museum of the American Indian

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