Harvey Pratt facts for kids
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Harvey Phillip Pratt (born 1941) is an American forensic artist and a Native American artist. For over 40 years, he used his art skills to help police. He has created thousands of drawings that have helped solve cases and identify people.
Pratt is famous for his ability to draw faces based on descriptions from witnesses. He can also create drawings that show what a person might have looked like from their skull. His work has helped law enforcement agencies across the United States and in other countries. He also teaches his skills to others and gives talks at schools and universities.
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Early Life and Heritage
Pratt was born in El Reno, Oklahoma. He is a proud member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. He holds the important title of a traditional Cheyenne Peace Chief. This means he is part of the Council of Forty-Four, a group of respected leaders.
His family has a rich history. He is the great-grandson of Edmund Guerrier, who was a scout and survivor of the Sand Creek massacre. He is also the great-great-grandson of William Bent, a well-known American frontiersman. Today, Pratt lives in Guthrie, Oklahoma.
A Career in Forensic Art
A forensic artist is like a detective with a pencil. They use art to help solve mysteries. Pratt began his career in 1965 as a police officer in Midwest City, Oklahoma. His very first drawing of a suspect led to an arrest.
In 1972, he joined the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI). He worked there for 20 years before retiring as an assistant director. Because his skills were so valuable, the OSBI hired him back as a full-time forensic specialist.
Helping Solve Major Cases
Pratt's drawings have been a key part of many famous investigations. He helped law enforcement in cases such as:
- The Green River Killer (Gary Ridgway)
- The Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders
- The Ted Bundy investigations
- The 1993 World Trade Center bombing
- The Oklahoma City bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
- The I-5 Killer (Randall Woodfield)
A New Way to Identify People
In the 1980s, Pratt invented a new technique called soft tissue postmortem drawing. When a person who has passed away is difficult to identify, this method helps. Pratt would take a photograph and use his artistic skills to draw or paint over it. He would repair any damage on the image to show what the person looked like when they were alive. This made it easier for the public to recognize the person and give them their name back.
A Celebrated Native American Artist
Besides his police work, Harvey Pratt is a famous Native American artist. He creates paintings, sculptures, wood carvings, and large murals. He is self-taught and works with many materials, including oil paints, metal, and clay. His art often combines his experiences in law enforcement with traditional Native American themes.
Awards and Recognition
Pratt has won many awards for his art. He was named a "Master Artist" by the Red Earth Festival in Oklahoma City. His artwork is displayed in important collections across the country. You can find his pieces in the National Park Service, the Smithsonian Institution, and the University of Oklahoma.
The National Native American Veterans Memorial
One of Pratt's most famous works is a memorial in Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian chose his design for the National Native American Veterans Memorial.
The sculpture is called the Warriors' Circle of Honor. It is a large, stainless-steel circle that honors Native American veterans. The memorial was placed outside the museum in 2020. A special ceremony to dedicate it was held on Veterans Day weekend in 2022.
Bigfoot Research and Art
In the early 2000s, Pratt used his forensic art skills for a unique project. He worked with researcher David Paulides to investigate stories about Bigfoot. They traveled and interviewed people who claimed to have seen the creature.
Pratt listened to their descriptions and drew sketches of what they saw. These forensic drawings were included in books about the research. Pratt also creates and sells his own artwork inspired by the legend of Bigfoot.
