Center of the American Indian

Center of the American Indian

Established	1978
Dissolved	1992
Location	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Coordinates	35°31′25″N97°28′30″W / 35.5236°N 97.4751°W / 35.5236; -97.4751
Type	cultural museum
Executive director	Mary Jo Watson (1984–88)
Chairperson	Allie Reynolds (1984)

The Center of the American Indian (CAI) was an intertribal, Native American-led museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was housed in the second floor of the Kirkpatrick Center. ^[1]

The Center of the American Indian produced a quarterly journal, The Storyteller. ^[2] The CAI held workshops, language classes, and symposia, such as "We Always Had Plenty: Native Americans and the Bison" held in 1989.

CAI helped launch the Red Earth Festival in 1987. In 1992, the Center of the American Indian merged into Red Earth Inc., ^[3] marking the end of its Native American leadership.

Personnel and supporters

Mary Jo Watson (Seminole) served as director of the museum from 1984 to 1988. ^[4] Baseball legend Allie Reynolds (Muscogee, 1917–1994) served as board chairman. Artists Benjamin Harjo Jr. (Absentee Shawnee/Seminole, 1945–2023) and Sharron Ahtone Harjo (Kiowa) volunteered at the museum and served on the board. ^[4] Collector Arthur Silberman advised the museum. ^[5]

Volunteers formed the Friends of the center. Gallerist and dealer Imogene Mugg helped organize exhibition receptions. ^[1]

Selection exhibitions and publications

In 1990, the museum created a permanent exhibition Moving History: Native American Dance. ^[6] Artists Sherman Chaddlesone (Kiowa, 1947–2014) and Allie Chaddlesone (Kutenai) exhibited at CAI. ^[7]

Changing exhibitions, included:

• Kachin-Tihus: Those Who Sit with the People (1991) with catalog ^[8]
• Moving History: Evolution of the Powwow (1991) with catalog by Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa) ^[9]
• Songs of Indian Territory: Native American Music Traditions (1989) with catalog and cassette tape by Willie Smyth
• Mothers and Descendants (1987), group exhibition of women artists, including Shan Goshorn (Eastern Band Cherokee, 1957–2018), and their children, guest-curated by Mary Lou Davis (Caddo/Cherokee) ^[1]
• Children of Early America (1987) with catalog ^[10] by Daniel C. Swan ^[11]
• Big War/Little War: Oklahoma Indians in the Civil War, 1861–1865 (1985), with catalog ^[12]
• Making Medicine: Ledger Drawing Art from Fort Marion (1984) with catalog, ^[5] celebrating the ledger art of St. David Pendleton Oakerhater (Southern Cheyenne, c. 1847–1931).
• Full Blooded (1984), solo exhibition of work by Edgar Heap of Birds (Southern Cheyenne) ^[13]

References

1. "Indian Women Art Exhibit to Open Today". The Oklahoman. December 6, 1987. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
2. The Storyteller. OCLC   950476590.
3. "Overview and Mission". Red Earth. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
4. "Indian Center Chooses Director". The Oklahoma. May 24, 1984. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
5. "Silberman: Introduction". National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
6. "American Indian Dance Exhibit to Open at Kirkpatrick Center". The Oklahoman. September 28, 1990. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
7. Condit, Nancy P. (August 10, 1986). "Indian Tribes to Honor Heritage at Annual Expo". The Oklahoman. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
8. Kachin-Tihus : Those Who Sit with the People. OCLC   82289480.
9. Zotigh, Dennis (1991). "Moving History: Evolution of the Powwow". Google Books. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
10. Children of Early America. OCLC   82333786.
11. "Publications". Daniel C. Swan. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
12. Big war/little war : Oklahoma Indians in the Civil War, 1861-1865. OCLC   56793326.
13. Heap of Birds, Edgar. "Hock E Aye VI Edgar Heap of Birds CV" (PDF). Garis & Hahn. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 6, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2021.