ROYAL BROWN HASSRICK PAPERS
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The collection contains primarily manuscript drafts for the numerous books Royal Brown Hassrick authored on the Native Americans and Western Art. Although most of his writings were non-fiction, a couple of fiction manuscripts are included. Hassrick's research includes the interviews with the Dakota tribe. In addition to the manuscripts, the collection includes professional records, personal documents and photographs used in Hassrick's publications and research. The material dates from 1870 to 1989.
The series contains a limited amount of material (seventeen folders). Documents were generated primarily from Hassrick's work with the Office of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of Interior; Indian Arts and Crafts Board; and the Denver Art Museum. Records comprise correspondence, newspaper clippings, meeting minutes, transcripts of interviews and pamphlets on individual artists. The series also contains a few records from his service in the Air Training Command and his job with the Museum of Southern Plains Indians.
Drafts of Hassrick's manuscripts comprise the bulk of the series. Related material such as correspondence with publishers, newspaper clippings and research notes is included. The non-fiction manuscripts focus primarily on the Native Americans and Western artists. Hassrick devoted much of his writing to the Dakota and the Sioux tribes. During the fall of 1940, Hassrick interviewed individuals of the Dakota tribe. Four large notebooks (box 1, FF18-24) contain his notes from the interviews. Manuscripts for the following publications comprise the bulk of the series: Lakota, The Sioux, I and Tex, The Scalp, The Colorful Story of the North American Indians, American West, Western Painting Today, American Indian Arts and Crafts, Catlin and After the Buffalo Were Gone. The series also contains manuscript drafts for articles, speeches and collaborative publications.
The series of personal papers consists primarily of correspondence and papers Hassrick produced while in college. The correspondence was generated by family and friends. Newspaper clippings, a journal and programs form a portion of the series.
Two maps comprise the series. One map Hassrick drew on the Sioux history and the second contains notes on a map of Charles City, Virginia.
Hassrick collected the bulk of the photographs comprising the series while conducting research for his books, though limited personal photographs are also included. Most photographs are not dated and many not identified. The series includes prints, postcards and negatives.
Dates
- 1913-1986
ACCESS:
The collection is open for research.
OWNERSHIP:
The Royal Brown Hassrick papers are the physical property of the Denver Public Library.
PUBLICATION RIGHTS:
All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from material in the collection should be discussed with the appropriate librarian or archivist. Permission for publication may be given on behalf of the Denver Public Library as the owner of the physical item. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained by the customer. The Library does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or publication rights of the manuscript held by the writer, heirs, donors, or executors. Reproduction restrictions are decided on a case-by-case basis.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Royal Brown Hassrick (1917-1989) was born in Ocean City, New Jersey. He graduated from Dartmouth College and completed postgraduate work at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. From 1942-1943, he worked as a consultant for the Office of Indian Affairs, administering and reporting on the "Rorschach, Grace Author Performance and the Thematic Appreception" psychological tests to two hundred Sioux tribe children. Hassrick then worked for the American Association on Indian Affairs, Incorporated, in New York City.
In 1944, Hassrick was employed by the Foreign Morale Analysis Division, Overseas Intelligence Bureau, Office of War Information. He worked overseas conducting sociological and psychological researches and analyses. By 1945, Hassrick worked for the U.S. Army as an occupational counselor. Hassrick served as curator of the South Plains Indian Museum for the U.S. Department of Interior in Oklahoma from 1948-1952. He was assistant general manager of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board for the Department of Interior in Denver from 1952-1954. From 1955-1962, Hassrick served as curator of American Indian Art for the Denver Art Museum. At the same time he lectured in anthropology at Regis College and for the University of Denver.
In 1962, he briefly retired to ranch life, only to return to the Denver Art Museum to serve as assistant director from 1964-1967. Afterwards he moved to Lone Star Ranch in Elizabeth, Colorado, where he became a rancher. Throughout his career Hassrick authored numerous books and collaborated on publications. Several of his books include: The Sioux, I and Tex, Cowboys, Western Painting Today and History of Western Art.
Hassrick married Barbara in 1936. They had five children: Morgan, Peter, John, Judy and Ann.
Extent
6 boxes (6 linear feet)
1 Oversize file folder
1 photo box
Language of Materials
English
Other Finding Aids
PROVENANCE:
Royal Brown Hassrick donated his papers in 1973, 1975 and 1991. The remainder came from the estate of Barbara Hassrick.
Physical Description
1
SIZE:
Number of Boxes: 6 (6 linear feet)
Oversize: 1 OVFF
PhotoBoxes: 1
LOCATION:
WH176
PROCESSED AND ENCODED BY:
Ellen Zazzarino
September 2005
REVISED AND ENCODED BY:
Dennis Hagen
May 2009
PROJECT MANAGER:
Ellen Zazzarino
- Authors, American -- Colorado. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Bibliographies. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Correspondence. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Dakota Indians. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Field notes. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Indians of North American -- West (U.S.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Manuscripts for publication. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Photographs. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Title
- ROYAL BROWN HASSRICK PAPERS
- Date
- Revised May 2009
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Repository