Bronson Edwards, the great-grandson of Chief John W. Earley, was both a respected Ottawa leader and an accomplished artist known for his paintings on American Indian themes.

Beginning in 1939, Edwards served the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma as Secretary-Treasurer for more than thirty years. His tenure included years the Ottawa operated as a terminated tribe. As an artist, he was a frequent participant in the Philbrook Museum’s Indian Annual art competition, held from 1946 to 1979. Over his career, he entered twenty-five works and won four awards, including First Place in the Woodlands category in 1960. Two of his art pieces were even purchased by Robert F. Kennedy.

Edwards viewed his art as both an expression of his culture and a means of forging new connections. He wrote, “Indian artists can help preserve the traditions and cultures of their forefathers and integrate them into the overall American cultural society.”