ADVANCING AMERICAN INDIAN ART
The Archives includes a wide range of materials that document American Indian history, culture and art. The materials cover all indigenous peoples of the Americas, though the strength of the collection is in the North American Southwest. The majority of the holdings date from the early 19th century to the present.
The collections emphasize American Indian artists and provide context for the understanding of the museum’s ethnographic and fine art collections.
The archival materials reflect a broad spectrum of relationships and activities with American Indians, including more than 300,000 historic and contemporary photographs. Major collections include the Fred Harvey Company photographs and papers, the R. Brownell McGrew photographs and papers, the Barry Goldwater photography collection and the Phoenix Indian School Collection.
The centerpiece and soul of the archival holdings is the Native American Artists Archives comprised of collections on American Indian artists. Major collections include Harry Fonseca, Ramona Sakiestewa, Kay WalkingStick, Fritz Scholder, Nora Naranjo Morse and Pop Chalee. These collections contain original and special material documenting the artists’ careers.
The Archives holds approximately 830 linear feet of manuscripts, personal collections and other cultural materials in over 300 research collections. Additionally, the archives includes more than 500 linear feet in 333 cartons of institutional records from the Heard Museum.
Download Native American Artists Archives fact sheet
The Archival Collections Guide summarizes the collections held by the Archives and is available in print format onsite. Detailed finding aids describing the collections may be viewed online through the Heard Museum Archives Repository Guides collection in the Digital Library and are available in print onsite in the Public Reading Room. General information on collections can be accessed using the online catalog.
