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Drawing Fire: A Pawnee Artist And Thunderbird In World War II

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Pawnee Artist and Thunderbird in World War II

By Stacey L. Biehl

Hardcover: 240 pages

Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (September 15, 2023)

Drawing Fire: A Pawnee, Artist, and Thunderbird in World War II

by Robin Roberts

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	18529 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	253 pages

-10: 1496229718

-13: 978-1496229713

Pawnee Artist and Thunderbird in World War II tells the remarkable story of how a young Pawnee artist named Acee Blue Eagle found his voice and used his art to fight for his people during World War II.

Born in 1908 on the Pawnee reservation in Oklahoma, Blue Eagle was a talented artist from an early age. He studied at the Haskell Institute, a government-run boarding school for Native American students, and later at the University of Oklahoma. In 1942, Blue Eagle enlisted in the Army and was assigned to the 45th Infantry Division, which fought in Italy and France.

While serving in the Army, Blue Eagle continued to draw and paint. His sketches and paintings captured the everyday life of soldiers, as well as the horrors of war. He also used his art to promote Native American culture and to fight against racism and discrimination.

One of Blue Eagle's most famous paintings is "Thunderbird," which he created in 1943. The painting depicts a Thunderbird, a powerful spirit being in Pawnee mythology, swooping down to protect a group of soldiers. Blue Eagle's "Thunderbird" became a symbol of hope and strength for Native American soldiers serving in World War II.

After the war, Blue Eagle continued to use his art to advocate for Native American rights. He served as a delegate to the United Nations, and he helped to found the National Congress of American Indians. Blue Eagle's art is now displayed in museums and galleries around the world, and he is considered one of the most important Native American artists of the 20th century.

Pawnee Artist and Thunderbird in World War II is a moving and inspiring story about a talented artist who used his art to fight for his people. Blue Eagle's story is a reminder of the power of art to change the world.

Reviews

"Pawnee Artist and Thunderbird in World War II is a fascinating and important book. Stacey L. Biehl has done a masterful job of telling the story of Acee Blue Eagle, a talented artist who used his art to fight for his people during World War II. Blue Eagle's story is a reminder of the power of art to change the world." -Dr. Kevin Gover, Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian

"Pawnee Artist and Thunderbird in World War II is a beautifully written and deeply moving book. Stacey L. Biehl brings Acee Blue Eagle's story to life, and in ng so she sheds light on the important role that Native American artists played in World War II. Blue Eagle's art is a powerful reminder of the resilience and strength of the Native American people." -Dr. Philip J. Deloria, author of Playing Indian

About the Author

Stacey L. Biehl is an associate professor of history at the University of California, Berkeley. She is the author of E. Pauline Johnson: Tekahionwake, A Mohawk Writer in Victorian Canada and Native American Children and Youth in the Public Sphere, 1890-1930.