Report of the Executive Council on the Proceedings of the First Annual Conference of the Society of American Indians
1912 · Washington, DC
Washington, DC: (The Society), 1912. First edition. 8vo. 188 pp. Illustrated from photographs, plates, one folding as frontispiece, portraits. "The Society of American Indians (1911-1923) was the first national American Indian rights organization run by and for American Indians. The Society pioneered twentieth century Pan-Indianism, the movement promoting unity among American Indians regardless of tribal affiliation. The Society was a forum for a new generation of American Indian leaders known as Red Progressives, prominent professionals from the fields of medicine, nursing, law, government, education, anthropology, and ministry, who shared the enthusiasm and faith of Progressive Era white reformers in the inevitability of progress through education and government action" (Wikipedia). This is the record of its first official congress, held in Columbus, Ohio, October 12-17, 1911; the panoramic folding frontispiece pictures and identifies those who attended. Charles Eastman, Sherman Coolidge, Henry Standing Bear, Laura Cornelius Kellogg, and Hiram Chase were among those elected to leadership positions. "Memberships, active and associate: persons of Indian blood only." Rather widely held in research collections (OCLC locates 40 or so copies), but scarce in trade (no copies recorded by ABPC, 1976-2014, or on Rare Book Hub). Very good. Somewhat later red three-quarter leather (joints rubbed), and cloth, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, original printed wrappers bound in. (#8383). (Inventory #: 61228)