Florence Tells the Geronimo Story

Indian Chiefs Headeds by Geronimo at President Theodore Roosevelt's Inauguration Day, Washington DC, 1905

March 4, 1905

Teddy Roosevelt had invited many people from all walks of life to attend his inaugural parade and speech to show America and the world how open he was to all people. Teddy had assembled 35,000 marchers including marines, soldiers, Rough Riders and brass bands, as well as coal miners with lamps on their helmets, Harvard boys in caps and gowns and cowboys on horseback twirling lariats. However, the crowd was most stirred by the sight of notorious Indians riding their warhorses down Pennsylvania Avenue! The horseback warriors included Sioux warriors Hollow Horn Bear and American Horse, the Ute leader Buckskin Charley, Comanche Chief Quanah Parker, and leading the way the most notorious warrior of them all, Geronimo!

Florence Curtis Graybill photographed at the Curtis studio in Seattle

Listen to the story of what happens next, as told by Florence herself!