Buckskin Diplomacy

The objects Lewis and Clark acquired in negotiations with Indian nations have much to say.

by Christopher Reed

From The November-December 2003 Issue

Published in the November-December 2003 print issue in the Features section.

Read more articles by Christopher Reed

Most popular

Harvard Faculty Approve a Cap on A Grades

Reforms to reduce grade inflation will take effect in the fall of 2027.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Harvard Alumni and Faculty Win Six Pulitzer Prizes

Winners include Jill Lepore, Bess Wohl, Pablo Torre, and Hannah Natanson.

House - Email

Explore More From Current Issue

Mercy Otis Warren in period attire writes at a desk by candlelight, surrounded by books.

Harvard Celebrates America’s 250th

The Woman Who Penned the Case for War

Mercy Otis Warren’s poetry and plays incited the Patriot movement.

A glowing orange sun with a star and a trailing gas cloud in space.

Research

A Harvard Astrophysicist Explains the Bizarre Behavior of a Supergiant Star

The dimming and rapid rotation of Betelgeuse may be caused by a hidden companion.

Brick archway with a sandy base, surrounded by wooden planks and boxes in a dim space.

Harvard Celebrates America’s 250th

How the American Revolution Freed a Future Abolitionist

Darby Vassall, an enslaved child freed after the Battle of Bunker Hill, dedicated his life to fighting for liberty.