Beaded Suede Dress and Moccasins, a Gift to Shirley Temple from the Blackfoot Indians

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Of soft suede with fringed trim and colorful beaded decorations, along with two pairs of suede moccasins. The costume was given to Shirley Temple by the Blackfoot Indians during the filming of the 1939 film "Susannah of the Mounties". For that film, a number of Blackfoot Indians had come to Hollywood and performed as extras. A special friendship developed between the Blackfoots and young Shirley Temple as related in her 1988 autobiography, Child Star. On one occasion, she said, "Chief Coward rose first and spoke in Indian language, a long grave presentation, occasionally pointing at me", which was followed by a blood oath between Yellow Kidney and Shirley, of which Chief Coward said, "Now you blood-sister to Blackfoot nation. Your name now Bright Shining Star". And Shirley continued that he unfolded a dress made of softened doeskin and presented it to her. "This your tribal dress", he said. The gift was made public, appeared in many magazine and newspaper articles, such as this photograph in Screen Guide, June 1939.