Frank Rinehart facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frank Rinehart
Chief American Horse, photographed by Frank Rinehart, 1898
Born	Lodi, Illinois, U.S.
Died	December 17, 1928(1928-12-17) (aged 67)
Education	William Henry Jackson
Known for	Photography

Frank Albert Rinehart (born February 12, 1861 – died December 17, 1928) was an American photographer. He is famous for taking pictures of Native American people and their lives. He especially focused on portraits of leaders and groups who attended the 1898 Indian Congress in Omaha.

Early Life and Photography Career

Frank Rinehart was born in Lodi, Illinois, which is now called Maple Park. In the 1870s, he and his brother, Alfred, moved to Colorado. They found jobs at a photography studio in Denver.

In 1881, the Rinehart brothers teamed up with a well-known photographer named William Henry Jackson. Jackson was famous for his pictures of the American West. Frank Rinehart learned a lot from Jackson. He became a very skilled photographer and grew interested in Native American cultures.

Moving to Nebraska

Frank Rinehart married Anna Ransom Johnson in 1885. Anna used to work as a receptionist at Jackson's studio. After they married, they moved to Nebraska.

Frank opened his own photography studio in downtown Omaha. It was located in the Brandeis Building. He worked there for the rest of his life. Frank and Anna had two daughters, Ruth and Helen, both born in Nebraska.

Photographing the Indian Congress

In 1898, a special event called the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition took place. As part of this event, an Indian Congress was held. Frank Rinehart was asked to take pictures of this important gathering. He photographed the Native American leaders and groups who attended.

Frank worked with his assistant, Adolph Muhr. They set up a studio right on the Exposition grounds. They used a special camera with a large glass negative to capture their images. They also used a printing method called platinum prints. This helped them create pictures with many different shades and details.

Their work from this event is considered very important. It is seen as "one of the best photographic documentations of Indian leaders at the turn of the century."

Changing How Native Americans Were Seen

A photography expert named Tom Southall talked about Rinehart's collection. He said these portraits were very beautiful and different from older photos. Earlier pictures of Native Americans were often less sensitive. They sometimes just recorded facts, like a scientific study.

But Rinehart's photos were different. They showed Native Americans as individuals with strength and dignity. These pictures were seen by many people. They helped change how Native Americans were shown in photographs after that time.

Documenting Native American Life

After the Indian Congress, Rinehart and Muhr continued their work. For two years, they traveled to different Indian reservations. They photographed Native American leaders who could not attend the event. They also captured everyday life and culture of indigenous people.

Where to Find the Collection

Today, the collection of Rinehart's Native American photographs is kept at Haskell Indian Nations University. Since 1994, the collection has been carefully organized and preserved. This work was supported by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Hallmark Foundation.

The collection includes photos from the 1898 Exposition. It also has images from the 1899 Greater America Exposition. There are studio portraits from 1900. Plus, it features pictures Rinehart took at the Crow Agency in Montana in 1900.

Gallery

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  Chief Little Wound, Ogalalla Sioux, (c) 1899. Photographs of the American West, Frank A. Rinehart Photographs, Boston Public Library

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  Sarah Whislter, Sauk and Fox woman.

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  Yellow Shirt, Hunkpapa Sioux chief.

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  White Buffalo, Cheyenne chief.

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  Wah-Ta-Waso, Iroquois woman.

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  Kicking Horse, Flathead Salish chief.

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  Geronimo, Chiricahua Apache leader.

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  Freckle Face, Arapahoe woman.

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  Bonie Tela, San Carlos Apache; and Hattie Tom, Chiricahua Apache.

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  Nasuteas (Kichai Woman), Wichita

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  Lone Elk by Frank Rinehart, 1899