Celebrating Native American History Month: The Life and Legacy of Native American Artist Woody Crumbo

Since 1990, Americans have recognized November as Native American Heritage Month, celebrating the achievements and honoring the culture and traditions of Native Americans. This month’s feature is creator Woody Crumbo, a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.

Woodrow “Woody” Crumbo was an artist, educator, flutist, flute maker, and dancer who spent his life preserving and promoting Native American history and culture through his art and by creating opportunities for others to develop and showcase their work.

Crumbo was born on January 21,1912, in Lexington, Oklahoma. Orphaned at a young age, Crumbo grew up with the Muscogee (Creek) and Sioux families and befriended the “Kiowa Six,” who were early cultural influences. He studied different artistic techniques at several institutions before becoming the director of art at Bacone College.

In 1939, the Section of Fine Arts at the U.S. Department of the Treasury commissioned Crumbo to paint a series of murals in the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Washington, DC, building. These murals can still be seen today. He went on to work as a director and curator for museums in Oklahoma and Texas, and his art was featured in hundreds of exhibitions throughout the world. He later lived in Taos, New Mexico, where he continued to develop, exhibit, and sell his art.

Crumbo was not only a highly regarded and award-winning artist—he also was instrumental in establishing many exhibits and art shows that brought attention to American Indian art. Crumbo cultivated relationships with several museums, such as the Philbrook Art Museum and Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by accessioning his works and providing guidance and recommendations for acquisitions. At the Philbrook Museum, Crumbo helped to establish the Philbrook Indian Annual, a groundbreaking art fair active from 1946 through 1979, that focused on the impact and evolution of American Indian art within the current art world. As the artist-in-residence at the Gilcrease Museum between 1945 and 1948, he worked directly with Thomas Gilcrease to curate a renowned collection of American Indian art. In his later years, as State Chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Bicentennial Commission, he again collaborated with the Gilcrease Museum to hold the Oklahoma Indian Bicentennial Art Show in 1976.

Throughout his career, Crumbo explored ways to incorporate indigenous beliefs and symbolism within his art, using inspiration from the natural world. He was determined to increase knowledge about American Indian art, formulating a process of silk screen printing that allowed him to make copies. The copies could then be sold and distributed to both collectors and non-collectors, widening the range of awareness and accessibility of these works.

On August 12, 1952, Crumbo’s Taos Art Studios registered his Eagle Dancer (left) for copyright protection, along with two other works in the series. Representative of Crumbo’s signature style, the silkscreens depict a Native man in traditional regalia performing the Eagle Dance from three angles. This registration record, along with his other registrations, are searchable within the Virtual Card Catalog. The Office’s Historical Public Records Program aims to provide the entire physical catalog of copyright records in a searchable online format for the public.

Copyright and Visual Arts

Painting and silk screen printing are both types of visual arts. Copyright law protects visual arts from the moment the artist fixes their creative work in a tangible format. That protection comes with exclusive rights that give copyright owners control over the use of their works, including the rights to reproduce and distribute them. Anyone wishing to use the work in these ways must have the owner’s permission. Registering a work of visual art at the Copyright Office is not required, but it does provide additional benefits. Learn more about how copyright incentivizes the production of visual arts through our Engage Your Creativity resources.

Copyright for All

One of the Office’s strategic pillars, Copyright for All, addresses the need to make the copyright system as understandable and accessible as possible, reaching out to as many members of the public as possible, including historically underserved communities. The Office is committed to enrich the nation’s culture by empowering these communities through ongoing outreach efforts and supporting those who have stories to share; stories that shape our cultural awareness, foster community, and expand awareness.

Additional Resources

Interested in learning more? Explore the Library of Congress resources on Indigenous communities and Indigenous artists and watch “Finding Pictures: Celebrating Indigenous American Creators.”