Agate Arrow Point, Warm Springs, from the American Indian Chiefs series (N2) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Agate Arrow Point, Warm Springs, from the American Indian Chiefs series was created as a promotional item for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. These cards circulated at a time when westward expansion and the idea of ‘Manifest Destiny’ fueled the myth of the ‘vanishing Indian’. The portrait, a chromolithograph, represents a man from the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Oregon. It is important to remember that these images, though seemingly innocuous, played a role in shaping public perception and solidifying stereotypes. While the sitter is adorned in traditional clothing, the card’s purpose was far from celebratory; it commodified his image to sell cigarettes, contributing to the erasure of Indigenous identity. These cards circulated widely, subtly reinforcing the notion of Native Americans as relics of the past rather than vibrant, contemporary communities. Consider how the seemingly innocent act of collecting these cards might have perpetuated harmful stereotypes.