"What Shall be Done with the Indians?": John Wesley Powell, Anthropology, and Native-Government Relations in the 19th Century

Abstract

In 1869, John Wesley Powell led the first group of white men to successfully navigate the Colorado and Green Rivers in the Grand Canyon. He completed the journey again in 1871. The resulting reports are the earliest detailed mapping surveys of the Grand Canyon, often credited with sparking the nation’s interest in the Canyon’s “great unknown.” After his final Canyon trip, Powell was appointed second director of the United States Geological Survey, cementing his place in history as a successful explorer and geologist. However, these undertakings overshadow Powell’s dedication to anthropology, particularly in his creation of the Bureau of Ethnology. During this time, Powell began to advocate for governmental support to “civilize” Native American tribes, aiming to save them from a perceived extinction. As there is currently minimal written work on this portion of Powell’s life, it is integral to highlight such connections to understand and not repeat the mistakes of the past. Thus, this thesis will serve to answer the following questions: Was Powell a eugenicist, and how did he influence the study of eugenics in America? This project will utilize a variety of sources to answer these questions. Archival documents of Powell’s explorations will detail his intellectual evolution, including the diary of his crewmate George Bradley and newspaper articles about the expedition’s research. Powell's writings, such as speeches from his time as president of the Anthropological Society of Washington, reports written for the Bureau, and personal essays depicting human evolution will be analyzed through their connection to eugenics.