State Historical Society of Iowa

Portrait of Army Private Jonas M. Poweshiek, 1917

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Photograph taken circa 1917 of Native American Private Jonas M. Poweshiek, a Meskwaki soldier.
Courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, 1917

Description 

This portrait is of Army Private Jonas M. Poweshiek, a Meskwaki soldier during World War I. Poweshiek enlisted in the Army in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 6, 1917. 

Transcript from Portrait of Army Private Jonas M. Poweshiek

Source-Dependent Questions

  • Describe this photograph. What do you notice in particular about this photo that may be surprising or intriguing to you?
  • What do you think was going through the mind of Private Poweshiek when this photo was taken? English would have been his second language. How would this have impacted relations with his fellow servicemen? Explain your answer.