Title
Memory and myth at the Buffalo Bill Museum
Abstract
Few places tell the myth of the American frontier more vigorously than the Buffalo Bill Museum does in Cody, Wyoming. Traveling to the museum through the 'Western' landscape of Wyoming into the foothills of the Rockies prepares visitors for the tak of Western settlement. This narrative, which works to secure a particular vision of the West, draws upon the material artifacts of Cody's childhood and his exploits as scout, Pony Express rider and showman. The museum retells the story that Cody first told to millions at the turn of the twentieth century in his Wild West arena show. In this paper, we argue that the museum privileges images of masculinity and Whiteness, while using the props, films, and posters of Buffalo Bill's Wild West to carnivalize the violent conflicts between Anglo Americans and Native Americans.Association.
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/10570310500076684
Keywords
Buffalo Bill Cody, Masculinity, Museums, National Identity, Native Americans, Public Memory, The American West, Whiteness
Publication Date
4-1-2005
Recommended Citation
Dickinson, Greg, Brian L. Ott, and Aoki Eric. "Memory and myth at the Buffalo Bill Museum." Western Journal of Communication 69, no. 2 (2005): 85-108.
Journal Title
Western Journal of Communication
