About a decade ago, a friend and I attended a gathering of archivists held at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, and yes, I found a couple of Indigenous baskets on display.
They were in an exhibition that featured gifts given to the Nixons. The labels contained the names of the donors, but otherwise, additional information was sorely lacking.
Richard M. Nixon's presidency lasted from 1969 to 1974, so he presumably received the baskets during this period. The colors used in the baskets could be from commercial dyes. Yet the first basket, made by a Navajo artist, looks like it might have a bit more age to it. Closer inspection might indicate that natural dyes were used, such as mountain mahogany for the red color, and sunflower seeds for the black color.
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| Navajo Wedding Basket |
The first "Straw Basket, Handwoven," is a Diné or Navajo basket, a type commonly referred to as a Navajo wedding basket. It is a coiled basket with a herringbone rim, and is most likely woven of split and peeled sumac.
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| Hualapai Basket |
The second "Straw Basket" fares better with its label, as it is described as having been made by a weaver in the Hualapai Tribe of Peach Springs, Arizona. This basket is diagonally twined of split sumac with an orange and black pattern, and it has a wrapped rim.
The Library is worth a visit, it encompasses Nixon's birthplace and childhood home, Army One Presidential Helicopter, and lovely gardens. I suspect these baskets are not currently on display. The Library's exhibition "America 250: A More Perfect Union" is open through January 31, 2027.
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| A Peace Rose in the Rose Garden. |
