Indian Images in Commerce
Images of imaginary Indians have been used in American and European media for
years. The various guises of Indians reflect various themes in American
life--Respectable (or Rousseau) Indian, the Laughable Indian, the Threatening
Indian, the Benevolent (or Thanksgiving) Indian, and the Enigmatic Indian. This
set illustrates some American views of ethnic minorities; as such it has
relevance not only for anthropology, but also for marketing, American history,
and American Studies. By Gregory A. Reinhardt