Research by MSU Students Featured in Rare Quanah Parker Photo Exhibit
conjunction with the Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker photo exhibit at the
NorthTexas Museum of History, the Midwestern State University History
Departmentwill present “An Evening with the Parkers: a Historian, a Judge, and
Tales ofthe Recapture of Cynthia Ann Parker” on Friday, March 27. The exhibit
will beopen for viewing at 7 p.m. and the presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m. at
themuseum at 720 Indiana Ave., Wichita Falls, Texas.
Presenters PaulCarlson and Tom Crum are co-authors of the award-winning
book Myth, Memory, and Massacre: The Pease RiverCapture of Cynthia Ann
Parker. The book considers new evidence and presentsan accurate historical
account of the Cynthia Ann Parker saga. “The Cynthia Annand Quanah Parker
Exhibit, A Woman OF Two Worlds and a Man IN Two Worlds,” is atraveling
exhibit of rarely seen photos of Quanah and Cynthia Ann Parker. It willbe on
display through May 2.
Carlson,Professor Emeritus of History at Texas Tech, is a Fellow of the Texas
StateHistorical Association and a member of the Texas Institute of Letters. Of
his22 books, The Plains Indians,(published in 1998) was named one of the 100
most outstanding books on the AmericanWest published in the 20th century.
Crum is a retired State District Judge,past president of the West Texas Historical
Association, past counselor for theTexas Folklore Society, and chairman for the
advisory council for the Centerfor Big Bend Studies. Descendants of Cynthia Ann
and Quanah Parker will be inattendance at the presentation.
The exhibitwill also feature research generated through MSU’s EURECA
(EncouragingUndergraduate Research Endeavors and Creative Activities)
program, a projectthat facilitates undergraduate research. MSU students
Christopher Freeman andJohn Hensley will unveil their poster “Two Worlds, One
Big Pasture: theIntersecting Lives of Samuel Burk Burnett and Quanah Parker”
as part of theFriday night activities at the museum. Freeman and Hensley won a
EURECA grantin Fall 2014 and completed the majority of their research at the
MSU Moffett Library,the Southwest Collection at Texas Tech University, and the
Briscoe Center atthe University of Texas. In June the two will submit their final
article forpublication consideration to the WestTexas Historical Review. Leland
Turner, Assistant Professor of History,serves as the MSU faculty mentor for the
project.
Cynthia Annand Quanah Parker are two important names in U.S. frontier history.
In 1836, aComanche raiding party took Cynthia Ann from her family. She
became wife to aComanche warrior and mother to Comanche children, including
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the legendaryQuanah. After Cynthia Ann was re-captured by the U.S. Calvary at
Pease River in1860, Quanah became famous in his own right as one of the most
importantComanche leaders both in war and peace. The photo exhibit tells the
story oftwo people bound by two diverse worlds. The Lakes Trail Region views
thistraveling exhibit as a way to educate visitors about such remarkable lives.
TheTexas Lakes Trail Region is one of 10 Heritage Trail Regions created
throughthe Texas Historical Commission.
Severalindividuals and organizations are involved in creating and promoting
thetraveling exhibit. Douglas Harman, board member of the Lakes Trail Region,
andClara Ruddell, Historic Photograph Research and Consulting, worked with
theLakes Trail Program to put the exhibit together. The Redstone Visual
ImpressionCompany, through its graphic designer Paula Abney, created the
exhibitmaterials for display. Special recognition must be given to the Comanche
Nationand the many members of the Parker family for keeping this story alive
andsharing materials and information. Ben Tahmahkera, great-great-grandson
ofQuanah, provided special inspiration for the project. This exhibit is
thebeginning of an effort to bring more attention to the important Native
Americanheritage in our region. The exhibit is sponsored by The Texas Trail of
Fame.
Theexhibit’s Wichita Falls viewing and speaker’s program are sponsored by the
MSUDepartment of History. For more information about the exhibit and
program,contact Jill Campbell, Executive Director of the Lakes Trail Program
at817-559-2288, or Harman at 817-691-6322.
For local information, contact Turner at leland.turner@mwsu.edu, or the North
Texas Museum of History at 940-322-7628 or month@sbcglobal.net.
Generated on 12/19/2015 6:31:03 AM, by iNews Publisher, Expinion.net