Discourses of American Indian Racial Identity in the Public Relations Materials of the Fred Harvey Company: 1902–1936

Abstract

This study explores the discursive identities constructed by Harvey Company personnel around American Indians in their tourist promotional literature and practices, merchandising, and employee relations practices. The study disputes the dominant narrative that the company promoted only cultural imperialism and commodification, using the cultural–economic model of public relations practice to provide a more nuanced lens that reveals varying, and sometimes conflicting, discourses used to achieve and legitimize organizational objectives. The findings suggest ways in which public relations, tourism, and ethnicity form interrelated areas of study that deserve further theoretical development.

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Notes

¹Even within the native community, there is much debate over whether Native American or Indian is the preferred term to describe members of US tribes. In this artile, we use Indian, in keeping with common usage during the time period under study (1902–1936). In quotes, however, we have kept terminology true to the source.