[Rae Nuance Victor]

Rae Nuance Victor was a lecturer, performer and instructor of oration at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. She traveled around the Pittsburgh area and other parts of the country with a lecture / recital on the “origins, habits, religions and superstitious” of the North American Indian, who was, in her words, “the least understood of the races.” The recital was centered around a retelling of the legend of Hiawatha as popularized by Longfellow in his 1855 epic poem. The affair was “copiously and resplendently illustrated 250 artistic and authentic pictures taken from actual scenes.” The 250 “actual scenes” in question seem to be photographs from a dramatization of the Hiawatha story performed at an outdoor venue in Pittsburgh. The pageant was performed by “Indian players” from the Iroquois tribe, and was directed by Clifton E. Lloyd, a colleague of Victor’s at Duquesne.