Chambers Library Monthly Exhibitions

Preserving a Moment in Glass:
The Cheyenne and N.E. Foster 1911-1915

November 1 - 31, 2017

Preserving a Moment in Glass features the UCO Laboratory of History Museum's N. E. Foster Collection which includes images that were reproduced from an early method of glass plate photography. Heidi Vaughn, Director of the UCO Laboratory of History Museum, spoke at the opening reception saying,“These glass plate negatives were produced by a photographer who was in business for a very short period of time, so they provide a wonderful glimpse into a specific moment in the history of the Cheyenne and the Canton area.”

Research for the exhibit was conducted by Museum Studies graduate student and museum technician James Gregory. Gregory invited Gordon Yellowman, Assistant Director of Education for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, to speak at the opening reception. Yellowman offered interpretations of the photos by highlighting the customs and values depicted in the images. He shared first hand knowledge of the location and people depicted, many of them he knew as a boy. Michael Elizando, Jr., Junior Apprentice with the Cheyenne tribe, spoke about Communicating and Speaking Bravely — a language immersion project funded by an Administration for Native Americans grant and designed to preserve the tribes’ native languages and cultures. He shared how the Cheyenne are actively speaking and teaching their language in an effort to pass it on to their youth.

Several images from the glass plate negatives were created and on display at the event. To learn more about the event and the N.E. Foster collection visit the link below.

Click images to view larger

Curator(s)
Heidi Vaughn, Director of the UCO Laboratory of History Museum
James Gregory, Graduate Student and Museum Technician, UCO Laboratory of History Museum

Opening Reception - November 16, 2017