The Cornplanter Medal was named for the Iroquois chief

Cornplanter John Abeel III (–February 18, 1836) known as Gaiänt'wakê (''Gyantwachia'' – "the planter") or Kaiiontwa'kon (''Kaintwakon'' – "By What One Plants") in the Seneca language and thus generally known as Cornplanter, was a Dutch- Seneca ch ...

and is an award for scholastic and other contributions to the betterment of knowledge of the

Iroquois people The Iroquois ( ), also known as the Five Nations, and later as the Six Nations from 1722 onwards; alternatively referred to by the Endonym and exonym, endonym Haudenosaunee ( ; ) are an Iroquoian languages, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Ind ...

. It was initiated by

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

anthropologist An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...

Frederick Starr with seed money from nine associates in order to engrave and print sketches of Iroquois games and dances. Starr had two main goals while he planned the medal: One, he wanted to recognize and award the people who were contributing to research and knowledge of the Iroquois. Two, he intended to prove that the tribe, contrary to some academic opinion, had artisans that showed abilities of a "true artist", by presenting and preserving the art of the Iroquois youth

Jesse Cornplanter Jesse J. Cornplanter (September 16, 1889 – March 18, 1957) was an actor, artist, author, craftsman, Seneca Faithkeeper and decorated veteran of World War I. The last male descendant of Cornplanter, an important 18th-century Haudenosaunee ...

. The medal was endowed through sales of the publication of the sketches in the booklet ''Iroquois Indian Games and Dances'' (c. 1903). The young artist of the sketches was credited as "Jesse Cornplanter, Seneca Indian Boy". First presented in 1904 by the

Cayuga County Cayuga County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 76,248. Its county seat and largest city is Auburn. The county was named for the Cayuga people, one of the Native American tribes in the Iroq ...

Historical Society in Auburn NY, it was awarded every two years to people who fall into one or more of the following classes: * Ethnologists, making worthy field-studies or other investigations among the Iroquois. * Historians, making actual contributions to our knowledge of the Iroquois. * Artists, worthily representing Iroquois life or types by brush or chisel. * Philanthropists, whose efforts are based upon adequate scientific study and appreciation of Iroquois conditions and needs.

List of medal recipients

* 1904 General John S. Clark, historian and archaeologist * 1906 Rev.

William Martin Beauchamp William Martin Beauchamp (March 25, 1830 – December 13, 1925)BEAUCHAMP, William Marti ...

, archaeologist and ethnologist * 1908 Dr. David Boyle, archaeologist and ethnologist * 1910 William P. Letchworth, philanthropist * 1912 Reuben Gold Thwaites, historian * 1914 J.N.B. Hewitt, ethnologist * 1916 Arthur C. Parker, archaeologist and ethnologist * 1919 Alvin H. Dewey, philanthropist * 1920

Mary Clark Thompson Mary Clark Thompson (1835 – July 28, 1923), born Mary Lee Clark, was a philanthropist and wife of banker Frederick Ferris Thompson. Early years Mary Lee Clark was born in Naples, New York, in 1835 to Myron Holley Clark (1806–1892) and Zilpha ...

, philanthropist * 1923 Professor Frederick Houghton, archaeologist * 1926 Edwin H. Gohl, archaeologist and artist * 1965

William N. Fenton William N. Fenton (December 15, 1908 – June 17, 2005) was an American scholar and writer known for his extensive studies of Iroquois history and culture. He started his studies of the Iroquois in the 1930s and published a number of significant w ...

, ethnologist and historian * 1966 William A. Ritchie, archaeologist * 1967 Merle H. Deardorff, ethnologist and historian * 1968 Aldelphena Logan, artist * 1969 Kenneth E. Kidd, historian and archaeologist * 1970 Anthony F. C. Wallace, ethnologist and historian * 1971 Floyd G. Lounsbury, linguist and ethnologist * 1975 Marian E. White, archaeologist and historian; and Walter K. Long, artist * 1977 Richard S. MacNeish, archaeologist * 1979 Bruce G. Trigger, historian and archaeologist

References

;Attributions * * *

External links

''Iroquois Indian games and dances''
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826163100/https://acdc.amherst.edu/view/asc:789722/asc:789751 , date=2022-08-26 : drawn by Jesse Cornplanter, Seneca Indian boy: Amherst College Archives & Special Collections American academic awards Archaeology awards Awards established in 1914 1914 establishments in New York (state) Iroquois Cayuga County, New York

List of medal recipients

See also

References

External links