Young Omahaw, War Eagle, Little Missouri, and Pawnees

Charles Bird King, born Newport, RI 1785-died Washington, DC 1862 · 1821

These Plains Indian chiefs were among many who traveled to Washington to meet with the president to negotiate their territorial rights with the government. At the White House, the Capitol, and in private homes, policymakers employed bribery, dazzle, and intimidation to win the cooperation of these men. In his Seventh Street studio, Charles Bird King painted their portraits, creating a gallery of allies in the government’s plan to settle the Indian question peacefully.