Papers and Photographs

The DeVane Collection can be divided into four categories: writings by DeVane, photographs of the aftermath of Hurricane Donna (1960), photographs of construction at the Brighton Reservation, and general photographs of Seminole Indian culture. The writings by DeVane include correspondence to D.B. McKay, a columnist for the Tampa Tribune, and to Edward T. Keenan, a military historian. They also include speeches, narratives and stories written by DeVane based on his knowledge of Seminole history.

Photographs taken from the 1950s through the early 1960s make up the bulk of the collection, which also includes some color Polaroids and some reproductions of 19th century photographs. At least one third of the photographs show Billie Bowlegs III in ceremonial attire or demonstrating various traditional crafts and skills. Bowlegs was an elder at the Brighton Reservation. Although he was not a full Seminole, he became famous for being the oldest living tribal member. He died in 1965 at the age of 102. Other photographs depict schoolrooms, beauty pageants, and daily life from the period. DeVane also collected reproductions and pencil-sketch portraits of famous tribal members by the artist Robert West. These are in the collection along with some information on another artist, James Hutchinson, who specialized in depictions of Seminole life.