Oscar Howe was a Yanktonai Indian painter who is considered to be an important figure in Crow Creek Reservation history. Born at Joe Creek on the Crow Creek Reservation in 1915, he acquired his first taste for art and painting during his time at the Pierre Indian Boarding School in 1922. His art depicts traditional Native American life through a modern artistic style. He is most noted for breaking the stereotypical way in which Native American art was viewed and accepted in the artistic community. He accomplished this through a dispute that occurred with his Alma Mater, the Santa Fe Indian School, and ended up opening the door for modern Native American artists to portray the traditional in nontraditional fashion. He acquired a number of awards and accolades throughout his life, including being named Artist Laureate of South Dakota in 1966. He died in 1983 Below you will see a number of examples of his work.
Captain Richard H. Pratt
Captain Richard H. Pratt was a veteran of the Civil War and the "founder" of Native American Boarding schools. His work entailed taking Native Americans and "Americanizing them". His motto was "Kill the Indian, and Save the Man". In other words, this meant he thought the only means by which Native Americans could be accepted into American society was by erasing their culture and traditional ways and adapting them to white customs. His initial experiments and work took place at Fort Marion, Florida and involved a number of Native American Prisoners. They were subjected to a change of hairstyle and clothing, being forced to cut their hair and to put on United States Military Uniforms. They were forbidden to speak their own language, and rather were made to speak only English. They were also not allowed to worship traditionally, but were made to sit and attend Christian worship services. They also were made to perform traditional ceremonies for the general public to observe and watch, but not when they wanted to for their own reasons.
Sources:
http://www.usd.edu/fine-arts/university-art-galleries/oscar-howe-reproductions.cfm
http://www.sdstate.edu/southdakotaartmuseum/collections/Oscar-Howe/oscar-howe-bio.cfm
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4929/
http://public.csusm.edu/NativeAmericansinBaseball/Federal%20Indian%20Boarding%20Schools%202.html
http://www.usd.edu/fine-arts/university-art-galleries/oscar-howe-reproductions.cfm
http://www.sdstate.edu/southdakotaartmuseum/collections/Oscar-Howe/oscar-howe-bio.cfm
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4929/
http://public.csusm.edu/NativeAmericansinBaseball/Federal%20Indian%20Boarding%20Schools%202.html