Over several decades, renowned Oklahoma artist Charles Banks Wilson sought out "purebloods" (that is, Indians of a single tribal heritage) of each of Oklahoma's tribes to create a gallery of American Indian portraits.
Search for the Native American Purebloods
captures the state's visual heritage in a series of seventy-seven remarkable pencil drawings, each accompanied by a narrative describing Wilson's visits with the subject. The first edition,
Search for the Purebloods
, served as a catalogue for an exhibition of the artist's work at the United States Capitol. This third edition contains thirteen additional drawings and an afterword by Wilson.
Out of print since 2005, the book is once again available with the generous assistance of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma.