Introduction

Elephants have long captivated American imaginations. But our popular conceptions of elephants often conceal our deadly desire for their tusks.

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Center Brook Ivory Company label

Center Brook Ivory Company label

Courtesy of National Museum of American History, Archives Center

Elephants
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Elephants in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, 1974

Image reproduced from photographs by Ken Regan, Gift of Michael W. Sonnenfeldt

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Elephants on a five-dollar banknote, 1854

Elephants on a five-dollar banknote, 1854

Gift of The Chase Manhattan Bank

American merchants with tusk trade workers in Mombasa, 1904

American merchants with tusk trade workers in Mombasa, 1904

Courtesy of National Museum of American History, Archives Center, Pratt-Read Corporation Records

Theodore Roosevelt posing with an elephant he shot in Africa, 1909

Theodore Roosevelt posing with an elephant he shot in Africa, 1909

Courtesy of Library of Congress

William H. Taft campaign figurine, 1908

William H. Taft campaign figurine, 1908

Gift of Ralph E. Becker Collection of Political Americana

American ivory company worker holding tusk, around 1910

American ivory company worker holding tusk, around 1910

Courtesy of National Museum of American History, Archives Center, Pratt-Read Corporation Records

American ivory company worker with piano keys, around 1930s–1940s

American ivory company worker with piano keys, around 1930s–1940s

Courtesy of National Museum of American History, Archives Center, Pratt-Read Corporation Records

Elephant mascot on baseball program, 1949

Elephant mascot on baseball program, 1949

Image from Ray Dornbach Collection, purchased through George Rinsland

Children’s book, 1949

Children’s book, 1949

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows
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Circus poster, 1923

Gift of Ray F. Newman

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Center Brook Ivory Company label

Center Brook Ivory Company label

Courtesy of National Museum of American History, Archives Center

Elephants
View object record

Elephants in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, 1974

Image reproduced from photographs by Ken Regan, Gift of Michael W. Sonnenfeldt

View object record
Elephants on a five-dollar banknote, 1854

Elephants on a five-dollar banknote, 1854

Gift of The Chase Manhattan Bank

American merchants with tusk trade workers in Mombasa, 1904

American merchants with tusk trade workers in Mombasa, 1904

Courtesy of National Museum of American History, Archives Center, Pratt-Read Corporation Records

Theodore Roosevelt posing with an elephant he shot in Africa, 1909

Theodore Roosevelt posing with an elephant he shot in Africa, 1909

Courtesy of Library of Congress

William H. Taft campaign figurine, 1908

William H. Taft campaign figurine, 1908

Gift of Ralph E. Becker Collection of Political Americana

American ivory company worker holding tusk, around 1910

American ivory company worker holding tusk, around 1910

Courtesy of National Museum of American History, Archives Center, Pratt-Read Corporation Records

American ivory company worker with piano keys, around 1930s–1940s

American ivory company worker with piano keys, around 1930s–1940s

Courtesy of National Museum of American History, Archives Center, Pratt-Read Corporation Records

Elephant mascot on baseball program, 1949

Elephant mascot on baseball program, 1949

Image from Ray Dornbach Collection, purchased through George Rinsland

Children’s book, 1949

Children’s book, 1949

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows
View object record

Circus poster, 1923

Gift of Ray F. Newman

View object record
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Spices Shipping Crate
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E. R. Durkee spice box, around 1890s

Gift of L. E. Leininger

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