CARLOS MONTEZUMA YAVAPAI AMERICAN INDIAN SOCIETY DOCTOR

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We offer 21 early photography items in the auction format every week. In addition, we list several BUY IT NOW features. RARE CARTE DE VISITE (CDV) OF WASSAJA OR CARLOS MONTEZUMA AS A BOY (see biography below). Handwritten on back: "Montezuma. Chicago 6 June 1874." BACKMARK. "GENTILE. Portrait AND Landscape Photographer. S.E. Corner State & Washington St. opposite Field, Leiter & Co. CHICAGO. The only Gallery using a Water Power Elevator in the World." BIOGRAPHY. "Carlos Montezuma or Wassaja (born circa1866; died 1923) was a Yavapai/Apache activist and a founding member of the Society of American Indians. He was named Wassaja by his parents... In 1871 he was captured by Pima raiders who sold him to photographer Carlo Gentile for thirty dollars. Carlo Gentile renamed Wassaja 'Carlos Montezuma,' partly after himself. The two resided in both Chicago and New York for several years until Gentile lost all of his belongings in a fire and had to send Montezuma away. On returning to Illinois Carlos Gentile placed the young Montezuma/Wassaja with Reverend G. W. Ingalls of the Indian Department of the American Baptist Home Mission. Carlo Gentile committed suicide soon after this. Carlos thereonin continued his studies... He received his doctorate of medicine from the Chicago Medical College, a branch of Northwestern University, in 1889 and obtained his license to practice that same year. Dr. Montezuma’s first venture in private practice proved to be unsuccessful. He closed up shop and soon found work as a physician with the Bureau of Indian Affairs where he traveled to reservations and provided services to Native Americans in North Dakota, Western Shoshone Agency in Nevada, Colville Agency in Washington, and finally the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. Here, he became acquainted with Richard Henry Pratt, founder of the Carlisle Indian School and staunch assimilation-ist. This relationship, along with his negative experiences working on various reservations, helped form his early ideas of Indian policy. By 1896 Dr. Montezuma left Pratt to return to Chicago and start another private practice. He successfully practiced medicine and began publicly attacking the government for the conditions imposed upon Natives. Montezuma became an outspoken opponent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs; he was twice offered the post of commissioner of Indian affairs but refused. Instead, he helped found the Society of American Indians in 1911, the first Indian rights organization created by and for Indians. In 1916 he started a monthly magazine titled Wassaja that he used as a platform to spread his views of the BIA and Native American education, water rights and citizenship. At the turn of the century, Dr. Montezuma traveled as team doctor with Coach Pop Warner's National Champion Carlisle Indian School football team to Arizona. While in Arizona, Montezuma contacted long-lost relatives he had not seen since his abduction. By this time, the Yavapai were settled at Fort McDowell reservation. Montezuma’s hatred for the reservations softened once he saw how connected his people were to their ancestral land and understood that they considered it home. Thereafter, he led the Yavapai resistance of removal from Fort McDowell until his death." (Wikipedia) SIZE. Approximately 4 1/8 x 3 1/2 inches. CONDITION. A few small spots and specks. Mount has some soiling, some wear at corners and top edge. Back has discoloration around edges. APPEARANCE. Beautiful portrait with excellent tonal range and great lighting. Lots of details in this image from the blanket pattern and folds to the fringe on his jacket and pants. VISIT OUR WEBSITE by ’ read more

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