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Jim Thorpe and his sons Phil and Billy, 1932.
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In this 1932 photograph, Thorpe's sons, Phil and Billy, have been cast in the role of stereotypical Indians.

Credit: Image donated by Corbis-Bettmann

Like many Indians educated at the Carlisle School, Jim Thorpe was expected to leave his Indian heritage behind. White society, however, also expected him to "play Indian" when it suited the purposes of promoters and journalists. In this 1932 photograph, Thorpe's sons, Phil and Billy, have been cast in the role of stereotypical Indians.

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