Crow Indian Photographer

by Peggy Albright

In Crow Indian Photographer Peggy Albright deftly combines biographical detail with an overview of Richard Throssel's photographic legacy. In addition to his Crow photographs, Throssel photographed Northern Cheyenne ceremonies that were prohibited by government regulation, including the Northern Cheyenne Massaum (Animal Dance). He photographed this sacred ceremony in 1909, the first year it was offered after the Battle of the Little Bighorn more than thirty years earlier. As an employee of the U.S. Indian Service, Throssel also produced a series of images for use in national education programs aimed at improving Indian health.