“Truly American”: An artifact analysis of Frankie Welch’s Cherokee alphabet scarf
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to challenge and possibly improve the understanding of this historical piece of fashion history to examine the use of indigenous cultural symbols in predominantly white fashion both at the time and presently. This paper uses an object-based research approach (Mida & Kim, 2018) to investigate Frankie Welch’s 1967 Cherokee Alphabet Scarf along with primary sources from archival and museum collection to critically analyze (a) Frankie Welch’s source of inspiration, (b) white claims of indigenous ancestry, and (c) re-colonization of Indigenous culture today.
Keywords: Frankie Welch, Cherokee syllabary, Cultural Appropriation, museum practices
How to Cite:
McAndrews, L. E., Hebbard, J. L. & Hogans, K., (2024) ““Truly American”: An artifact analysis of Frankie Welch’s Cherokee alphabet scarf”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 80(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.17084
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