University of Cincinnati Digital Press Receives Award from Western Association

Waa-na-taa or the Foremost in Battle, chief of the Sioux tribe.

James Otto Lewis (1799-1858) lived in Detroit in the 1820s and was retained by the U.S. Government to paint portraits of Native Americans visiting the city. Lewis published the results of his efforts in five editions before 1854. The first edition, published 1835-1838, was the first compilation of North American Indian portraits and represents one of the finest efforts of 19th-century American lithography.

James Otto Lewis’ The Aboriginal Portfolio: The Complete Edition, published by UCDP in 2000, is a two CD-ROM publication containing 129 images of Indian portraits and texts, as well as maps of the image sites, an extensive bibliography, and an introductory essay by William S. Reese, noted scholar and dealer in Americana. The publication includes the most complete copies of all known Aboriginal Portfolio editions located in seven institutions: Yale University, The Newberry Library, University of Michigan, Washington University, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, The Free Library of Philadelphia, and the University of Cincinnati.

The Aboriginal Portfolio uses Curator software, developed by UCDP for its research publications. The software offers numerous display options and search strategies across multiple collections simultaneously.

Organized in 1961, The Western History Association is the premiere organization in its field and includes in its membership western writers, academic historians, public historians, and enthusiasts.

The Dwight L. Smith Award is presented biennially for the best bibliography or research tool on any aspect of the history of the American West. It is funded by ABC-CLIO, publishers of reference materials, in honor of Dwight L. Smith, retired Miami University Professor of History noted for his contributions to bibliographic and reference works regarding the American West.

The UCDP is devoted to the electronic publication of original documentation of the Transmississippi West. The press developed out of an effort to preserve special materials in University Libraries and to increase their accessibility through new technologies. For more information, visit www.ucdp.uc.edu.

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