Geronimo Apache Native American Indian Chief As US Prisoner 1909 Real Photo Postcard
Geronimo (Gołkoya), a prominent leader and medicine man of the Bedonkohe Apache, led sustained resistance against U.S. and Mexican expansion in the Southwest for over two decades. His final surrender in 1886, marking the end of the Apache Wars, resulted in his lifelong incarceration as a prisoner of war by the U.S. government, a status he maintained until his death. He was held at various military installations, spending his later years primarily at Fort Sill, Oklahoma Territory.
The 1909 copyright date is significant as Geronimo died in February of that year, placing this photograph among the final images taken of him during his captivity. Despite his prisoner status, Geronimo was often exhibited at fairs and expositions, such as the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, where his image was capitalized upon through the sale of souvenirs and photographs like this one. These depictions cemented his image as a potent symbol of Native American resistance, even in subjugation, during a transitional period for indigenous peoples in the United States.
The 1909 copyright date is significant as Geronimo died in February of that year, placing this photograph among the final images taken of him during his captivity. Despite his prisoner status, Geronimo was often exhibited at fairs and expositions, such as the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, where his image was capitalized upon through the sale of souvenirs and photographs like this one. These depictions cemented his image as a potent symbol of Native American resistance, even in subjugation, during a transitional period for indigenous peoples in the United States.
