Percussion Longrifle 1815 - 1875

This is a percussion longrifle made by Joseph Douglass Jr., a gunsmith active in the mid-19th century. Consider this object as more than just a firearm; it's a complex artifact deeply embedded in the history of settler colonialism and its effects on Indigenous populations. Douglass, as an artisan, was part of a society expanding westward, often through violent displacement. The longrifle itself symbolizes this expansion, embodying the power dynamics between settlers and Indigenous communities. It represents not only a tool for survival, but also an instrument of dispossession and conflict. Looking closely, think about the narratives this object suppresses. What stories of resistance, loss, and cultural disruption are overshadowed by its presence? How does an object like this complicate our understanding of American identity and history? It asks us to reflect on the legacies of colonialism and their continued impact.