ROYAL BROWN HASSRICK PAPERS

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.