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Primary sourcePhotograph1885

Sitting Bull Photographed by D. F. Barry

David Francis Barry · 1885

A studio portrait of Sitting Bull taken by photographer David Francis Barry in 1885.

A direct photographic portrait of Sitting Bull made during his lifetime by photographer D. F. Barry.

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Black-and-white studio portrait of an older man with long braided hair, a single upright feather in his headband, a fringed light-colored shirt, and layered necklaces. Printed caption reads 'Sitting Bull' with 'D. F. Barry, Bismarck, Dakota.'
David Francis Barry, Sitting Bull, 1885.

About this source

What it is

This is a black-and-white studio portrait photograph taken by David Francis Barry in 1885. It shows an older man with long braided hair, a single feather in his headband, a fringed shirt, and layered necklaces. The print carries Barry's printed caption identifying the sitter and the photographer's location, Bismarck, Dakota.

Why it matters

The man photographed is Sitting Bull, the Lakota chief and holy man known for his 1876 victory over Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn and for later touring with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. Barry photographed many Lakota leaders of this period, and his portraits are among the main visual records of Sitting Bull available today.

Look closer

  • What details in the photograph did the photographer choose to include or leave out?
  • Why might Barry have printed Sitting Bull's name directly on the photograph?
  • How might this image have been used or seen by people at the time?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Sitting Bull (Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Handwritten manuscript page on lined paper, titled 'Articles of a Treaty' in ornate script, with an opening paragraph naming United States commissioners and Sioux Nation delegates, followed by 'Article I' below. The page is aged and yellowed with visible tears along the top and bottom edges.Document

Primary source

Fort Laramie Treaty

29 April 1868

Colored reproduction card labeled 'Chief Sitting Bull Sioux' showing a man in profile with long braids, two feathers in his hair, a red neckerchief, and a beaded vest with geometric and floral designs.Photograph

Primary source

Sitting Bull Portrait by William Notman

William Notman · 1885

Sepia-toned studio portrait of a man with a long braided hair, wearing a light patterned shirt and a feather headdress, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression against a plain backdrop.Photograph

Primary source

Chief Sitting Bull

David F. Barry · 1884

Black and white studio photograph of two men standing in front of a painted forest backdrop. On the left, a older man in a long feathered war bonnet and fringed, beaded buckskin clothing holds a rifle. On the right, a man in a wide-brimmed hat, embroidered jacket, and tall boots rests a hand on his chest.Photograph

Primary source

Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill

Wm. Notman & Son · 1885

Scanned page of the 1887 Act titled 'An Act to provide for the allotment of lands in severalty to Indians on the various reservations', headed 'Forty-Ninth Congress of the United States of America; At the Second Session', with handwritten marks and a 'Public No. 105' stamp.Document

Primary source

Dawes Act

Henry Dawes · 8 February 1887

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