New Natl Geog and Sacagawea/Sacajawea

[Frank Abate]

All ANSers, ADSers, and DSNAers

I urge you to look at the latest issue of National Geographic, for Feb 2003
(the cover is an image of a star being born -- quite cool).

There is a good story in this issue about Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea,
with some great photos of the terrain they encountered and art to depict
some of the scenes described in the actual written records of the
expedition.  They quote from several journals, so the story is backed with
primary evidence, plus the input of several experts of today.  The story
mentions, though does not go into detail, the controversy over her name and
its spelling and pronunciation (hence the inclusion of ADS-L and DSNA-L on
this email), and discusses her actual history, as far as it is known (very
little), and how her story and place in history were revived by the
suffragists and feminists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Those who were at the recent ANS annual meeting were regaled by ANS Past
President Tom Gasque and his excellent talk about Sacagawea and the Lewis
and Clark Expedition.  The Expedition is now -- and for the next two years
running, with various events around the country -- being commemorated on its
200th anniversary.  It's very fitting that Natl Geog has this story now, and
that it backs up much of what Tom said, though he said far more than what
the NG story has, and of course, Tom's was from an onomastic viewpoint.  But
the NG story is worth a read, and it even has a few tidbits that I for one
was not aware of.

Frank

Frank Abate
Dictionaries International
Consulting & Editorial Services for Reference Publications
860-349-5400  [USA access code: 1]
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