THE BLACKFOOT WOMAN IN CHARLES M. RUSSELL'S LIFE: Presentation by Nancy Josephine Clark

THE BLACKFOOT DRESS AND CHARLIE RUSSELL COWBOY ARTIST

Cowboy artist Charlie Russell collected authentic Blackfoot womens wear along with other everyday Indian objects, such as a backrest, peace pipe and jewelry. He would have his models dress up in the clothing and jewelry and have them pose for him. He also would dress up in garb and be photographed. Here is a picture of Charlie Russell and his Blackfoot model Josephine Wright who was not only his model but also lived in his household with his wife Nancy Russell when they moved to Great Falls shortly after Charlie and Nancy married.

Charlie was also a creature of habit. The Indian women in most of his paintings and drawings clearly resemble his model Josie Wright. Additionally the Indian women in his art often wear either a dress that is almost identical to the one Josephine is wearing here or a slight variation of it. Russell also had his model shown with his authentic props. In this photograph of Russell and Wright, note the dress, jewelry, backrest (in the back of the room) and the peace pipe that Josie is holding. It is clear that Josie and the regalia were the subjects for his Keeoma painting.

Charles M. Russell - Keeoma

Appropriately, the Blackfoot dress is display in the C. M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana in the current exhibition entitled “CHARLES M. RUSSELL: THE WOMEN IN HIS LIFE AND ART.” Nancy Josephine Clark, Josie’s granddaughter attended the opening of the exhibition and here she is standing next to the dress.   

Nancy Josephine (Tharp) Clark & the Blackfoot dress her grandmother wore when posing for Charlie Russell

3. CHARLES M. RUSSELL’S BLACKFOOT NAMESAKE

Russell Fredrick Tharp

After Russell Tharp arrived in Spokane, he took up a more Euro-American lifestyle. At the age of twenty-three, Russell married Mary E. Dawkins, a Christian Scientist. In the next years, he would be employed on various jobs including: Financial Officer for American Zinc, Lead and Smelting Co. in Ione, Washington; Accountant for a car dealership; Financial Officer for Eastern State Hospital (from which he retired), and Realtor for Lakeshore Real Estate, Priest Lake, Idaho.

Separated from his Blackfoot cultural roots in Montana, Russell blended smoothly into the Spokane community and lived there for the rest of his life. It was not until Russell retired from Eastern State Hospital that his grandson Clancy Clark got to know him, and Clancy described him as follows: “Russell was soft spoken, but direct in his words. He held a clearly defined position in the family which granted him great respect.” Russell was trustworthy, dependable and showed respect for all types of people.

In reflecting on his interactions with Russell, Clancy recalls one moment that is exemplary of his personality in this way:

During the summer of 1987, I had become enthralled in fishing. Running up and down the beach of Priest Lake, I would display my recent catches. Apparently, Russell noticed my love for fishing and stopped me one day in his home. He handed over a small metal box and said, “I think you could use this.” Slightly taken back because he rarely spoke directly to me, I took the box and ran into one of the empty rooms in the house. Inside the box, I found an assortment of tied fishing lures that he had used when he was young. So excited, I softly closed the box and safely guarded it from harm. To this day, I have not used the lures for I see them as symbols of his sincere kindness. Somehow, I feel if I were to lose a lure, I would be going against his good will. 

This brief moment with Russell would be one of the last times I would interact with him. In January of 1990, Russell died of pancreatic cancer. At his wishes, he spent the last weeks of his life in his home with my mother and other nucleus family members. As my mother related later, the last few days were extremely powerful and heart felt. It was an emotionally and physically draining experience which allowed for long needed dialogue.

Clancy Clark’s further reflections on his grandfather and his heritage are:

Russell’s death became a familial rebirth. We had always cherished our heritage. My parents stressed the importance of respecting all of our roots from the Pennsylvanian Dutch to the Blackfoot; all equally important to the make-up of my character. For the first time, I looked beyond the simple blood connection to my Blackfoot heritage. Why did Russell speak so little about the reservation? Why did my mother know so little? Who could I talk to who would know more?

Over the last seven years, my questions have been answered. Most of the confusion about our family background is attributed to the atmosphere of Montana in Russell’s childhood. He wanted to leave it all behind for a better life. However, Russell never completely severed his ties to the Blackfoot Reservation. We learned that he had valued his heritage more than we realized.

Although Russell never took an active role in conveying his past, I as well as my family have attempted to restore our lost past and revitalize our Native American heritage though academia, letters, family records, and general dialogue.

As time goes on, I hope to gather more information to both better understand his life and the lives of other Native Americans coming out of this period of forced assimilation. The cultural salvage work that I am conducting has shown the pain felt by many of my ancestors. The void in my heritage stems from federal policy and educational programs of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Fortunately, Russell Tharp preserved our Blackfoot heritage for coming generations.

Written by Dr. Clancy J. Clark