Emil W. Haury/Arizona State Museum

“Heavy Man,” Diné (Navajo) 1927.

The photographic collection at the University of Arizona's Arizona State Museum has images in it that date back as long as cameras have been around. Many of them are photographs of Native Americans taken mostly by archaeologists and anthropologists from as early as the late 1800s.

At least a third of the collection was shot by state photographer Helga Teiwes, according to Jannelle Weakly who manages the collection. 

The collection just received American Treasure status, which means it now has dedicated funding to preserve and protect these delicate collections. And, as Weakly said on The Show, the collection is not just about the photographs themselves — it’s about preserving records of the history of this region.

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