Author: Reed Richardson

The horse is an ubiquitous element in the early history of the American West. Few may realize this versatile creature became extinct in North America about 40 million years ago but was reintroduced at the end of the 15th century by Spaniards. When it arrived native people quickly incorporated the horse into all aspects of their lives. “A Song for the Horse Nation” incorporating 112 stunning works from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian was curated by Emil Her-Many-Horses a member of the Oglala Sioux and was based on the 2006 book “Song of the Horse Nation: Horses in Native American Culture” edited by George P. Capture Horse and Emil Her-Many-Horses (https://americanindian.si.edu/static/exhibitions/horsenation/index/html). From early artifacts through contemporary works of art, the treasures of the Smithsonian thoroughly encapsulate the significance of the horse in Native American history and culture. The meticulously curated exhibit demonstrates that the culture Native Americans created around the horse has survived and is flourishing.

“A Song for the Horse Nation” describes the epic story of the intricate relationship that developed between the native tribes of North America and the horse from the 1600s to the present. The incorporation of the horse into native culture altered almost every facet of their existence. Curator Her-Many-Horses provides a window into the lives of North America’s indigenous people that is not only a feast for the eyes but reveals how dramatically horses affected the social, economic, cultural, and spiritual aspects of native life on the Great Plains. Highlights include historical ledger drawings, beaded saddles and horse masks, hide robes, photographs and paintings, including new works by contemporary artists allowing viewers of all ages to experience the way of life of America’s first people.

The online exhibit opens with a brief introduction about how the horse has changed and influenced Native American culture, specifically for tribes in the Great Plains. From here the viewer can access the six main sections of the exhibit arranged part chronologically and topically. Section titles include: Introduction, Return of the Horse Nation, Impact of the Horse (1680-1875), Native Arts and the Horse (1840-1900), Decline and Revival (1875-Present), and the Horse Nation Lives On. At this point it might have been beneficial to incorporate a timeline with topical links.

The majority of the exhibition pieces are from the NMAI or sister branches of the Smithsonian, and are enhanced by items from private collections, universities and other museums, details can be found in the Objects List <https://americanindian.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/press_releases/HorseNationalDC_checklist.pdf>. Concisely detailed descriptive summaries accompany each section, and are associated with abundant and well-chosen images. Legends for each artifact, drawing, or photo include date created and individual or tribal association as well as purpose of each artifact. Artifacts characteristic of the Great Plains tribes cover the region from the Dakotas in the north, south through Texas and beyond. Harnessing the power of the horse aided the tribes in expansion of their range for hunting, trade, migration, and warfare.

Following the introduction, Sections 2-5 are divided into varying numbers of subsections describing the artifacts, photos, and drawings. Selected materials illustrate the synergy between native people and the horses that irrevocably changed their lives. Also included are sound recordings of the names for “horse” spoken by native people in their tribe’s language and a video documenting how the Nez Perce tribe, bred horses for strength, speed, and endurance. A powerful and emotional supplemental video explaining why the horse is an important relative of the people can be viewed at <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlSfhP4FRMo>.

The exhibit illustrates the fruitful relationship Native Americans developed with the horse that Europeans unintentionally gave them. As can be seen in the illustrations to follow the horse greatly enhanced the lives of Native Americans and aided them in their resistance to encroachment by a westward moving army and settlers. This exhibit showcases both the past and present importance of the horse to the survival of the native people and their spiritual beliefs, ceremonies, and art and is presented in an impartial and unbiased manner.

The exhibit design provides easy navigation allowing the viewer to take a quick overview at the section level or pursue a more in depth examination by delving into each unit. The font and format makes the text pleasant to read, pages are full but not cluttered. Images of art and artifacts are plentiful but additional photographs of native people with their horses would be desirable.

Examples of artifacts used for horses include bridles, bits, saddles, saddle blankets, and ceremonial regalia like horse masks. Objects used by native people in association with the horse includes spears, bows, arrows, rifles, and war shields.

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“A Song for the Horse Nation” is a fine example of how the traditions of generations of Native Americans past continue to teach the important values of living in harmony with nature as they have before and after the arrival of Europeans and reintroduction of the horse. Despite the hardships and challenges native people have endured, their reunion with the horse which they consider a most important relative, stimulated tremendous cultural creativity that continues today. Anyone interested in native culture, young or old, will appreciate how deftly curator Emil Her-Many-Horses has combined the history of native horse traditions of the past with the flourishing horse culture of the 21st century.

West Point in the Making of America, 1802-1918 | Smithsonian Institution (si.edu)

What does the Mexican-American War and World War I have in common? The history of West Point military academy will provide the answer. “West Point in the Making of America, 1802-1918” curated by Barton Hacker and Margaret Vining with the support of staff and several departments of the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution describes the history of the United States’ earliest and most renowned of the five federal academies and the first engineering school in the U.S. West Point’s education of great military leaders has helped secure the United States’ position as a world power.

This historically important, highly informative, and well-curated exhibit provides thorough coverage of West Point’s early history concentrating on turbulent times in America’s past from West Point’s founding through World War I. The exhibit provides something of interest for all ages and includes a thorough bibliography for the subject matter. It highlights men of broadly varying backgrounds including one African-American, who graduated and went on to serve in the army in a variety of capacities. Special attention is given to high ranking officers and generals.

Located on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River in West Point, N. Y., West Point and Army USMA is just 50 miles north of New York City. The idea for the military academy was first proposed in 1783 by George Washington but it was initially opposed due to being considered “incompatible with democratic institutions, fearing the creation of a military aristocracy” too much like that of Great Britain. It wasn’t until two decades later, on March 16, 1802, that the United States Military Academy officially opened; Washington having died in 1799 did not see his objective come to fruition. It resides today on its original site. Enrollment at West Point was always highly selective. It was here that many of the most famous (and infamous) and well-respected military commanders began their careers. The honor roll includes Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, Robert E. Lee, “Stonewall” Jackson, George A. Custer, John J. Pershing, P. G. T. Beauregard, George B. McClellan, George Crook, Oliver Otis Howard, future president Dwight D. Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur.

The design of this virtual exhibit on the early history of West Point provides easy navigation and is organized in a linear/chronological manner though the viewer can dip in and sample sections as they desire. The exhibit is divided into six sections: “Introduction; 1802-1860 The Antebellum Army; 1861-1870 Civil War and Reconstruction; 1866-1914 An Army for the Nation; 1914-1918- America in the Great War; and Epilogue”. Each of these sections highlights their respective time period, the military crises, and the achievements of the graduates including science, education, engineering, and other fields. The exhibit’s epilogue provides a window for examining the Army’s role in the 19th and early 20th centuries; building America’s federal army, exploring unknown territories, and fighting wars to protect citizens and to preserve the Union.

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There is more to the exhibit than meets the eye. Visitors can click on most any aspect of the exhibit and reveal a plethora of information including maps of famous battles, paintings and portraits, models of architectural designs, audio and video recordings, photographs, and a broad range of artifacts used by soldiers. The exhibit paints a picture spanning the lives of young cadets to the graduates who would lead the nation and a military academy that greatly shaped American history.

The exhibit’s written content adequately provides an appealing narrative and piques the interest of the observers. In the section tilted “1861-1870: Civil War and Reconstruction”, visitors can access links that discuss weaponry used during the Civil War by both the Union and Confederate armies. For example, the 1863 rifled musket radically increased the range of accuracy and made traditional infantry attacks obsolete.

Users are able to read about the lives of Civil War soldiers who attended West Point. The biographies of West Point graduates incorporates links to personal artifacts and their correspondence. Linked to the brief biography of George A. Custer, visitors will see his role at the last stand at the Battle of Little Big Horn and view personal belongings like the buckskin coat he often wore and his laundry dampener. Artifacts displayed are from the Smithsonian and borrowed from other institutions.

The other five sections of the exhibit continues to highlight major battles and scientific innovations involving West Point graduates, helping visitors understand why the battles were fought: for independence, to restore the Union, or acquire new territory. The exhibit excels in bringing to light the personal history of lesser known soldiers like engineer Robert Parker Parrot otherwise overshadowed by graduates like Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. Clearly West Point’s history has been predominantly based on the lives of educated white men. During the period covered by the exhibit few men of color were enrolled and the first women were not accepted until 1980. Even today though men of color and women have made inroads at West Point the percentage enrolled does not remotely reflect the racial makeup of the United States.

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The shortcoming of the exhibit are few. As an online exhibit, legibility of the narrative is important and could have been much enhanced using a larger font in text sections.

Though the exhibit provides ample examples of artifacts, the captions accompanying them could have been fleshed out with additional information.

The exhibit glorifies the accomplishments of soldiers like Ronald Slidell Mackenzie in battle (section titled “1866-1914: An Army for the Nation”) and the virtues of exploration and expansion/Manifest Destiny on the future economic development of the nation. However, it fails in describing the consequences of these battles on indigenous peoples, their land, and the environment.

West Point’s early military leaders and engineers laid the foundation for America’s military prowess by laying out the history and illustrating the way the United States created an army to defend the country both at home and abroad. West Point’s curriculum shaped a brotherhood of young men; creating military officers who would lead a young nation to victory in the Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, the Indian Wars, westward exploration and expansion, and World War I, but neglected to discuss the consequences of these battles on Native Americans. The general public as well as scholars will find learning about West Point and its role in American history rewarding and eye-opening.