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Manuscripts

North American Indian Concert Band archive

Description

This collection of items relates to the North American Indian Concert Band and performances from the 1910s as well as attempts to reassemble the band in 1926. The bulk of the letters are from David Russell Hill (director) and Carl Wahler (manager). As a Native American businessman, Hill demanded fair wages for himself and his men. In the middle of negotiating their European tour, Hill wrote to Wahler: "I know the people in Germany think that I am charging an unreasonable high price but Mr. Wahler you realize fully what this means to me, toyou [sic], and to this country..." (May 7, 1910). There are also several letters from Wahler's sons Arthur and Eddie. In one letter, Arthur asks for money to assemble a "coon band" because "it cost running around after these coon" [undated]. The majority of the men in the band came from American Indian Schools. They were trained to play classical and marching band music, not traditional Native American songs. There is a hand-written list of band members that shows many of the men were from Southwestern tribes and a few from the Onondaga. The postcards (mostly duplicates) illustrate the band's elaborate costumes while holding Western instruments. The program from the Red Star Line shows that the band played American and European concert pieces. As a novelty, the band occasionally played stereotypical songs that did not necessarily properly represent the heritage and diversity of the Native American members' tribe.

There are two volumes in Box 2. The first volume is a diary of sorts with names of Native American band members, notes pertaining to venues, and financial records from the tour in 1910. There is an index for the second volume and it lists names of band, accounts, postal card account, contracts, transportation, and Hill's pay.

Cataloger's note: Some of the material in German.

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Memorandum--E. Tausinger
Manuscripts
This collection of items relates to the North American Indian Concert Band and performances from the 1910s as well as attempts to reassemble the band in 1926. The bulk of the letters are from David Russell Hill (director) and Carl Wahler (manager). As a Native American businessman, Hill demanded fair wages for himself and his men. In the middle of negotiating their European tour, Hill wrote to Wahler: "I know the people in Germany think that I am charging an unreasonable high price but Mr. Wahler you realize fully what this means to me, toyou [sic], and to this country..." (May 7, 1910). There are also several letters from Wahler's sons Arthur and Eddie. In one letter, Arthur asks for money to assemble a "coon band" because "it cost running around after these coon" [undated]. The majority of the men in the band came from American Indian Schools. They were trained to play classical and marching band music, not traditional Native American songs. There is a hand-written list of band members that shows many of the men were from Southwestern tribes and a few from the Onondaga. The postcards (mostly duplicates) illustrate the band's elaborate costumes while holding Western instruments. The program from the Red Star Line shows that the band played American and European concert pieces. As a novelty, the band occasionally played stereotypical songs that did not necessarily properly represent the heritage and diversity of the Native American members' tribe.
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Business cards-Ships' passenger list
Manuscripts
This collection of items relates to the North American Indian Concert Band and performances from the 1910s as well as attempts to reassemble the band in 1926. The bulk of the letters are from David Russell Hill (director) and Carl Wahler (manager). As a Native American businessman, Hill demanded fair wages for himself and his men. In the middle of negotiating their European tour, Hill wrote to Wahler: "I know the people in Germany think that I am charging an unreasonable high price but Mr. Wahler you realize fully what this means to me, toyou [sic], and to this country..." (May 7, 1910). There are also several letters from Wahler's sons Arthur and Eddie. In one letter, Arthur asks for money to assemble a "coon band" because "it cost running around after these coon" [undated]. The majority of the men in the band came from American Indian Schools. They were trained to play classical and marching band music, not traditional Native American songs. There is a hand-written list of band members that shows many of the men were from Southwestern tribes and a few from the Onondaga. The postcards (mostly duplicates) illustrate the band's elaborate costumes while holding Western instruments. The program from the Red Star Line shows that the band played American and European concert pieces. As a novelty, the band occasionally played stereotypical songs that did not necessarily properly represent the heritage and diversity of the Native American members' tribe.
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Volume 1
Manuscripts
This collection of items relates to the North American Indian Concert Band and performances from the 1910s as well as attempts to reassemble the band in 1926. The bulk of the letters are from David Russell Hill (director) and Carl Wahler (manager). As a Native American businessman, Hill demanded fair wages for himself and his men. In the middle of negotiating their European tour, Hill wrote to Wahler: "I know the people in Germany think that I am charging an unreasonable high price but Mr. Wahler you realize fully what this means to me, toyou [sic], and to this country..." (May 7, 1910). There are also several letters from Wahler's sons Arthur and Eddie. In one letter, Arthur asks for money to assemble a "coon band" because "it cost running around after these coon" [undated]. The majority of the men in the band came from American Indian Schools. They were trained to play classical and marching band music, not traditional Native American songs. There is a hand-written list of band members that shows many of the men were from Southwestern tribes and a few from the Onondaga. The postcards (mostly duplicates) illustrate the band's elaborate costumes while holding Western instruments. The program from the Red Star Line shows that the band played American and European concert pieces. As a novelty, the band occasionally played stereotypical songs that did not necessarily properly represent the heritage and diversity of the Native American members' tribe.
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Correspondence--Mayor's office, Darmstadt
Manuscripts
This collection of items relates to the North American Indian Concert Band and performances from the 1910s as well as attempts to reassemble the band in 1926. The bulk of the letters are from David Russell Hill (director) and Carl Wahler (manager). As a Native American businessman, Hill demanded fair wages for himself and his men. In the middle of negotiating their European tour, Hill wrote to Wahler: "I know the people in Germany think that I am charging an unreasonable high price but Mr. Wahler you realize fully what this means to me, toyou [sic], and to this country..." (May 7, 1910). There are also several letters from Wahler's sons Arthur and Eddie. In one letter, Arthur asks for money to assemble a "coon band" because "it cost running around after these coon" [undated]. The majority of the men in the band came from American Indian Schools. They were trained to play classical and marching band music, not traditional Native American songs. There is a hand-written list of band members that shows many of the men were from Southwestern tribes and a few from the Onondaga. The postcards (mostly duplicates) illustrate the band's elaborate costumes while holding Western instruments. The program from the Red Star Line shows that the band played American and European concert pieces. As a novelty, the band occasionally played stereotypical songs that did not necessarily properly represent the heritage and diversity of the Native American members' tribe.
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Photographs--Carl Wahler
Manuscripts
This collection of items relates to the North American Indian Concert Band and performances from the 1910s as well as attempts to reassemble the band in 1926. The bulk of the letters are from David Russell Hill (director) and Carl Wahler (manager). As a Native American businessman, Hill demanded fair wages for himself and his men. In the middle of negotiating their European tour, Hill wrote to Wahler: "I know the people in Germany think that I am charging an unreasonable high price but Mr. Wahler you realize fully what this means to me, toyou [sic], and to this country..." (May 7, 1910). There are also several letters from Wahler's sons Arthur and Eddie. In one letter, Arthur asks for money to assemble a "coon band" because "it cost running around after these coon" [undated]. The majority of the men in the band came from American Indian Schools. They were trained to play classical and marching band music, not traditional Native American songs. There is a hand-written list of band members that shows many of the men were from Southwestern tribes and a few from the Onondaga. The postcards (mostly duplicates) illustrate the band's elaborate costumes while holding Western instruments. The program from the Red Star Line shows that the band played American and European concert pieces. As a novelty, the band occasionally played stereotypical songs that did not necessarily properly represent the heritage and diversity of the Native American members' tribe.
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Volumes-Cultural artifacts
Manuscripts
This collection of items relates to the North American Indian Concert Band and performances from the 1910s as well as attempts to reassemble the band in 1926. The bulk of the letters are from David Russell Hill (director) and Carl Wahler (manager). As a Native American businessman, Hill demanded fair wages for himself and his men. In the middle of negotiating their European tour, Hill wrote to Wahler: "I know the people in Germany think that I am charging an unreasonable high price but Mr. Wahler you realize fully what this means to me, toyou [sic], and to this country..." (May 7, 1910). There are also several letters from Wahler's sons Arthur and Eddie. In one letter, Arthur asks for money to assemble a "coon band" because "it cost running around after these coon" [undated]. The majority of the men in the band came from American Indian Schools. They were trained to play classical and marching band music, not traditional Native American songs. There is a hand-written list of band members that shows many of the men were from Southwestern tribes and a few from the Onondaga. The postcards (mostly duplicates) illustrate the band's elaborate costumes while holding Western instruments. The program from the Red Star Line shows that the band played American and European concert pieces. As a novelty, the band occasionally played stereotypical songs that did not necessarily properly represent the heritage and diversity of the Native American members' tribe.
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