{"id":27783,"date":"2026-05-26T08:53:57","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T15:53:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?p=27783"},"modified":"2026-05-26T11:18:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T18:18:36","slug":"beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Disney: A 1616 portrait of Pocahontas shows how English colonizers saw Indigenous Americans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n    \n                                \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1-768x432.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1-1920x1080.jpg 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1-768x432.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  alt=\"A black and white engraving of a woman with a serious expression, wearing an ornately embroidered gown\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"image-caption\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Simon van de Passe\u2019s 1616 engraving of Pocahontas is the only known portrait made during her lifetime. (Image source: National Portrait Gallery\/Wikimedia Commons.)\n\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n          <nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n        <ul>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\">News<\/a><\/li>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\/?category=arts-and-culture\">Arts and Culture<\/a><\/li>\n                  <\/ul>\n      <\/nav>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>Beyond Disney: A 1616 portrait of Pocahontas shows how English colonizers saw Indigenous Americans<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  The English assumed people they colonized would convert to their way of life, including Protestant Christianity \u2014 an assumption reflected in Pocahontas\u2019 portrait.\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n           <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span><a href=\"mailto:communication@dornsife.usc.edu\">Peter C. Mancall<\/a><\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">May 26, 2026<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m7.43475275 9.52380952-2.17490843 2.26076008c-1.08745421 1.058837-1.68841575 2.518315-1.68841575 4.0350275 0 1.5167124.60096154 2.9475732 1.68841575 4.0350274 1.058837 1.0874543 2.51831502 1.6884158 4.03502747 1.6884158 1.44087681 0 2.80427251-.5423678 3.86936601-1.5289606l.1656615-.1594552 2.2321428-2.2321428-1.6311813-1.6311813-2.2321429 2.26076c-.6581959.658196-1.5167124 1.0016026-2.43246332 1.0016026s-1.7742674-.3434066-2.43246337-1.0016026c-.65819597-.6581959-1.00160257-1.5167124-1.00160257-2.4324633 0-.8547009.2991453-1.6595442.87416905-2.2981957l.12743352-.1342677 2.23214286-2.2321429zm6.88661855-.40736607-5.26116068 5.26116075 1.61881868 1.6188186 5.2611607-5.2611607zm1.3837569-5.54501488c-1.4408768 0-2.8042725.54236779-3.869366 1.52896062l-.1656615.15945513-2.23214282 2.23214286 1.63118132 1.63118132 2.2321429-2.23214286c.6581959-.65819597 1.5167124-1.00160256 2.4324633-1.00160256s1.7742674.34340659 2.4324634 1.00160256 1.0016026 1.51671246 1.0016026 2.43246337c0 .85470089-.2991453 1.65954419-.8741691 2.29819559l-.1274335.1342678-2.2321429 2.2321428 1.5739469 1.5739469 2.2321429-2.2321428c1.0874542-1.058837 1.6884157-2.5183151 1.6884157-4.03502751 0-1.51671245-.6009615-2.94757326-1.6884157-4.03502747-1.058837-1.08745421-2.518315-1.68841575-4.0350275-1.68841575z\" transform=\"translate(-3 -3)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Copy Link<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_facebook\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#facebook\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Facebook\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_facebook\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m23.9512 6h-16.9024c-.57923625 0-1.0488.46956375-1.0488 1.0488v16.9024c0 .5792362.46956375 1.0488 1.0488 1.0488h9.10024v-7.34768h-2.46772v-2.87584h2.46772v-2.11508c0-2.45404 1.49872-3.79012 3.68828-3.79012.7389668-.00263323 1.4775241.03516995 2.21236.11324v2.56348h-1.51392c-1.18788 0-1.4174.56544-1.4174 1.39612v1.8316h2.84772l-.37088 2.87584h-2.47684v7.34844h4.83284c.5792362 0 1.0488-.4695638 1.0488-1.0488v-16.9024c0-.57923625-.4695638-1.0488-1.0488-1.0488z\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(-6 -6)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Facebook<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_twitter\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#twitter\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"X\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_twitter\">\n              <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\"\n\t y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 30 30\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 30 30\" xml:space=\"preserve\" width=\"19\" height=\"19\">\n<path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M14.5,16.2l-0.8-1.1l-6.3-9h2.7l5.1,7.3l0.8,1.1\n\tl6.6,9.4h-2.7L14.5,16.2L14.5,16.2z M16.9,13.4l7.4-8.7h-1.8l-6.5,7.5L11,4.8H5l7.8,11.4L5,25.2h1.8l6.8-7.9l5.5,7.9h6L16.9,13.4\n\tL16.9,13.4z\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">X<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_linkedin\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#linkedin\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Linkedin\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_linkedin\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m25 21.4220779c0 1.974026-1.6038961 3.5779221-3.5779221 3.5779221h-11.84415582c-1.97402598 0-3.57792208-1.6038961-3.57792208-3.5779221v-11.84415582c0-1.97402598 1.6038961-3.57792208 3.57792208-3.57792208h11.84415582c1.974026 0 3.5779221 1.6038961 3.5779221 3.57792208zm-14.5584416-12.21428569c-.98701295 0-1.60389606.61688311-1.60389606 1.48051949-.12337663.8636364.49350649 1.4805195 1.48051946 1.4805195.987013 0 1.6038961-.6168831 1.6038961-1.4805195 0-.86363638-.6168831-1.48051949-1.4805195-1.48051949zm1.3571429 12.70779219v-8.6363636h-2.83766234v8.6363636zm10.2402597 0v-4.9350649c0-2.5909091-1.3571428-3.8246753-3.3311688-3.8246753-1.4805195 0-2.0974026.8636363-2.4675325 1.4805194v-1.2337662h-2.8376623v8.6363636h2.8376623v-4.9350649c0-.2467532 0-.4935065.1233767-.7402597.1233766-.4935065.6168831-.987013 1.4805194-.987013.987013 0 1.4805195.7402597 1.4805195 1.974026v4.564935z\" transform=\"translate(-6 -6)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">LinkedIn<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_bluesky\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#bluesky\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Bluesky\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_bluesky\">\n              <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n                <path fill=\"#00000\" d=\"M12 10.8c-1.087-2.114-4.046-6.053-6.798-7.995C2.566.944 1.561 1.266.902 1.565C.139 1.908 0 3.08 0 3.768c0 .69.378 5.65.624 6.479c.815 2.736 3.713 3.66 6.383 3.364c.136-.02.275-.039.415-.056c-.138.022-.276.04-.415.056c-3.912.58-7.387 2.005-2.83 7.078c5.013 5.19 6.87-1.113 7.823-4.308c.953 3.195 2.05 9.271 7.733 4.308c4.267-4.308 1.172-6.498-2.74-7.078a8.741 8.741 0 0 1-.415-.056c.14.017.279.036.415.056c2.67.297 5.568-.628 6.383-3.364c.246-.828.624-5.79.624-6.478c0-.69-.139-1.861-.902-2.206c-.659-.298-1.664-.62-4.3 1.24C16.046 4.748 13.087 8.687 12 10.8\"  fill-rule=\"evenodd\" \/>\n              <\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Bluesky<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_email\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#email\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"E-mail\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_print\">\n              <svg height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 12\" width=\"18\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m8.14285714 9.42857143c-.17142857 0-.34285714 0-.51428571.08571428l7.28571427 6.34285719c.3428572.2571428.6857143.2571428.9428572 0l7.2857142-6.34285719c-.0857142-.08571428-.2571428-.08571428-.4285714-.08571428zm-1.28571428 1.11428567v.1714286 8.5714286c0 .6857143.6 1.2857143 1.28571428 1.2857143h14.57142856c.6857143 0 1.2857143-.6 1.2857143-1.2857143v-8.5714286c0-.0857143 0-.0857143 0-.1714286l-7.2 6.3428572c-.7714286.6857143-1.8857143.6857143-2.6571429 0z\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(-6 -9)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Email<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                  <\/span>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n \n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p>Thanks to the Walt Disney Company, Pocahontas may be the most famous Native American who lived in the 17th century. <a href=\"https:\/\/movies.disney.com\/pocahontas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The animated film version<\/a> of her early life included her speaking with a willow tree, befriending animals, singing about \u201cthe colors of the wind,\u201d and being caught up in an ill-fated romance with Captain John Smith.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0114148\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The 1995 film<\/a> created an enduring visual image of Pocahontas, and contained some details drawn from the historical record, though plenty is pure fiction. Smith was, in fact, one of the English colonists who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, soon after its founding in 1607. Pocahontas\u2019 father Wahunsonacock \u2014 whom colonists and Disney called Powhatan \u2014 was the paramount chief of the Powhatans, who lived in communities along the edges of Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.<\/p>\n<p>Only one portrait of Pocahontas from her lifetime exists \u2014 a sharp contrast with the Disney-drawn image most Americans know. And it speaks volumes about how the English saw colonization.<\/p>\n<h2>Powerful family<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_27790\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27790\" style=\"width: 383px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-27790\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/powhatan-john-smith-map-383x550.jpg\" alt=\"A black and white illustration shows a man in a feather headdress sitting on a platform above a seated crowd\" width=\"383\" height=\"550\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/powhatan-john-smith-map-383x550.jpg 383w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/powhatan-john-smith-map-712x1024.jpg 712w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/powhatan-john-smith-map.jpg 761w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 383px) 100vw, 383px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-27790\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">An engraving of Wahunsonacock by William Hole appeared on a map John Smith created of Virginia. (Image source: Virtual Jamestown\/Wikimedia Commons.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As I describe in my 2026 book, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/global.oup.com\/academic\/product\/contested-continent-9780195372786\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contested Continent: The Struggle for North America, c. 1000 to 1680<\/a>,\u201d Wahunsonacock was the most consequential political figure in early Virginia, the land Powhatans knew as Tsenacommacah. Through personal alliances and shrewd stratagems, he controlled perhaps 30 communities along the shores of Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.<\/p>\n<p>Pocahontas, also known as Matoaka and Amonute, was probably about 10 or 11 years old when <a href=\"https:\/\/encyclopediavirginia.org\/entries\/pocahontas-d-1617\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she encountered Smith<\/a> in late 1607. At that moment he was a captive of her father, who, Smith later wrote, was about to have him killed. Though scholars believe Wahunsonacock was likely <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nebraskapress.unl.edu\/nebraska-paperback\/9780803270916\/powhatans-world-and-colonial-virginia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">putting Smith through a ritual adoption<\/a>, the colonist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/figure\/Pocahontas-saves-the-life-of-Captain-John-Smith-from-Smiths-The-Generall-Historie-of_fig1_279985210\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">claimed Pocahontas saved his life<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In 1613, the English took Pocahontas captive during a conflict known as <a href=\"https:\/\/encyclopediavirginia.org\/entries\/first-anglo-powhatan-war-1609-1614\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the first Anglo-Powhatan War<\/a>. After obtaining his daughter\u2019s freedom in 1614, Wahunsonacock approved <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/jame\/learn\/historyculture\/pocahontas-her-life-and-legend.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">her marriage to John Rolfe<\/a>, who played a leading role the colony\u2019s tobacco economy, and she converted to Christianity. Sometime between 1615 and 1617 she gave birth to their son, Thomas.<\/p>\n<h2>Pocahontas in England<\/h2>\n<p>Two years after the marriage, Pocahontas and Rolfe sailed to England, where she played a leading role in her father\u2019s diplomatic mission.<\/p>\n<p>During her stay in London, which included meeting King James I, Pocahontas <a href=\"https:\/\/npg.si.edu\/blog\/collection-pocahontas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sat for a portrait<\/a> by the artist Simon van de Passe. Her clothing and pose echoed portraits of other elite English women of the era. The image emphasizes her tall stovepipe hat, ample lace collar, a dress with detailed embroidery or brocade, and a pearl earring dangling from her left ear.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to her English clothing, Pocahontas holds a quill pen, suggesting that she had learned to write. Since Europeans considered literacy a crucial marker of civilization, the engraving highlights English hopes that Indigenous Americans could rapidly embrace the colonists\u2019 culture.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_27789\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27789\" style=\"width: 1761px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-27789\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x2908-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A black and white engraving of a woman with a serious expression, wearing an ornately embroidered gown\" width=\"1761\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x2908-1-scaled.jpg 1761w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x2908-1-378x550.jpg 378w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x2908-1-704x1024.jpg 704w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x2908-1-768x1117.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x2908-1-1056x1536.jpg 1056w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x2908-1-1409x2048.jpg 1409w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1761px) 100vw, 1761px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-27789\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Simon van de Passe\u2019s 1616 engraving of Pocahontas is the only known portrait made during her lifetime. (Image source: National Portrait Gallery\/Wikimedia Commons.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Power of art<\/h2>\n<p>The engraving of Pocahontas was not the first image of Native peoples of the mid-Atlantic coastline circulating in England. Illustrations in one widely reprinted book played a crucial role in convincing the English <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/27081887\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">to establish settlements in North America<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In the late 16th century, advocates of English colonization understood that descriptions of North America could make foreign territory more enticing to potential migrants. They wanted to demonstrate to English men and women that they could create profitable economies and coexist with Native peoples.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_27787\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27787\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-27787\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/briefe-true-report-newfound-land_of-virginia-2000x2682-1-410x550.jpg\" alt=\"An ornate title page looks like a stone monument, with figures with colored clothing positioned around it\" width=\"410\" height=\"550\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/briefe-true-report-newfound-land_of-virginia-2000x2682-1-410x550.jpg 410w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/briefe-true-report-newfound-land_of-virginia-2000x2682-1-764x1024.jpg 764w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/briefe-true-report-newfound-land_of-virginia-2000x2682-1-768x1030.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/briefe-true-report-newfound-land_of-virginia-2000x2682-1-1145x1536.jpg 1145w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/briefe-true-report-newfound-land_of-virginia-2000x2682-1-1527x2048.jpg 1527w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/briefe-true-report-newfound-land_of-virginia-2000x2682-1-scaled.jpg 1909w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 410px) 100vw, 410px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-27787\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The title page of the 1590 edition of Theodor de Bry\u2019s \u2018A Briefe and True Report of the Newfound Land of Virginia.\u2019 (Image source: Livinncary\/Wikimedia Commons.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Some promoters recognized that watercolor images painted in 1585 by the artist John White depicting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/fora\/learn\/historyculture\/carolina-algonquian.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Carolina Algonquians<\/a> of the Outer Banks could perhaps generate interest \u2014 and investments. <a href=\"https:\/\/yalebooks.yale.edu\/book\/9780300164220\/hakluyts-promise\/\">The promoters<\/a>, who had ties to leading figures in the English court as well as to printers, also saw the benefits of an in-depth study of the region by the young English mathematician and writer Thomas Harriot, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/nationalhumanitiescenter.org\/pds\/amerbegin\/exploration\/text4\/Harriot_Brief_and_True_Report_1590.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A Briefe and True Report of the Newfound Land of Virginia<\/a>.\u201d In 1590, the promoters worked with the Flemish printer Theodor de Bry <a href=\"https:\/\/encyclopediavirginia.org\/672hpr-c8fe901895b6e4a\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">to produce an illustrated version<\/a>, which contained engravings based on White\u2019s paintings.<\/p>\n<p>The volume described Carolina Algonquians\u2019 practices and enumerated commodities that could be extracted for profit. Some of the Native Americans <a href=\"https:\/\/www.virtualjamestown.org\/images\/white_debry_html\/debry38.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">depicted in these pages<\/a> are clad with only a deerskin loincloth. Some of the women <a href=\"https:\/\/www.virtualjamestown.org\/images\/white_debry_html\/debry36.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wear skirts<\/a> but not tops.<\/p>\n<p>To Europeans bred on the idea that clothing an entire body was a marker of civilization, these Alqonquians\u2019 appearance was significant. People who colonizers considered \u201csavages\u201d were often depicted nude, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/exhibits\/exploring-the-early-americas\/columbus-and-the-taino.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Tainos whom Christopher Columbus encountered a century earlier<\/a>. English men and women reading the book about the Algonquians, on the other hand, saw them as a people who would, under the right tutelage, adopt English-style culture \u2014 including Protestant Christianity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome religion they have alreadie,\u201d Harriot wrote in \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/nationalhumanitiescenter.org\/pds\/amerbegin\/exploration\/text4\/Harriot_Brief_and_True_Report_1590.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A Briefe and True Report<\/a>,\u201d \u201cwhich although it be farre from the truth, yet being as it is, there is hope it may been the easier and sooner reformed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To make the point that Native Americans could be converted to European culture, the engravers added depictions of ancient Britons, allegedly based on an old chronicle. Three of these images of Picts depicted them as nude, bearing tattoos more extensive than the Algonquians\u2019. These individuals are also portrayed as more violent: A Pict man <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:The_True_Picture_of_One_Pict.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">holds a head still dripping blood<\/a>, with another head at his feet, while a Pict woman <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:The_True_Picture_of_a_Women_Picte.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">brandishes spears and a broadsword<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Reality check<\/h2>\n<p>When Pocahontas sat for Van de Passe, his portrait did more than create a resemblance of the young woman, who would die the following year, soon after leaving London \u2014 felled either by disease or, as a <a href=\"https:\/\/birchbarkbooks.com\/products\/the-true-story-of-pocahontas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Virginia tribe\u2019s oral history<\/a> suggests, poison.<\/p>\n<p>Like the images popularized by Harriot\u2019s book, her portrait suggested that Native Americans would soon embrace English ways. Pocahontas herself, as the words on the engraving noted, had become Rebecca Rolfe after her marriage. In his writings, her husband <a href=\"https:\/\/search.worldcat.org\/title\/22767387\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">celebrated her conversion to the Anglican faith<\/a>. The proof of the model of cultural conversion seemed to be on plain view in the portrait.<\/p>\n<p>Pocahontas\u2019 father died in 1618. Four years later, the Powhatans launched a rebellion against English colonists. On March 22, 1622, under the direction of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hachettebookgroup.com\/titles\/james-horn\/a-brave-and-cunning-prince\/9781541600034\/?lens=basic-books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a war captain named Opechancanough<\/a>, they killed approximately one-fourth of the colonists in Virginia. The English labeled the violence a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/encyclopediavirginia.org\/entries\/a-declaration-of-the-state-of-the-colony-and-affaires-in-virginia-1622\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">barbarous massacre<\/a>\u201d and launched a war of vengeance, which included a mass poisoning of Powhatans in 1623 \u2014 an action that the English at the time knew <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/history\/was-the-1623-poisoning-of-200-native-americans-the-continents-first-war-crime-180982202\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">violated the emerging law of war<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Seeing Pocahontas poised on a chair, wearing an elegant hat and holding a quill pen, the English had assumed that Native Americans would embrace the colonizers\u2019 ways. March 1622 proved them wrong.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/282221\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/peter-c-mancall-313858\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Peter C. Mancall<\/a>, Distinguished Professor, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities, Linda and Harlan Martens Director of the Early Modern Studies Institute, and professor of history, anthropology, and economics, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/usc-dornsife-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences-2669\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>This article is republished from <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans-282221\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n  \n        \n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-related-stories \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-related-stories\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Related Articles\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n                  <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/the-us-founders-other-revolutionary-choice-separating-religion-and-government\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >The US founders\u2019 other revolutionary choice: Separating religion and\u00a0government<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n              <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/usc-rotc-helped-allison-parra-find-confidence-and-her-calling\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >USC ROTC helped Allison Parra find confidence \u2014 and her calling<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n              <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/longtime-exxon-ceo-lee-raymonds-legacy-of-climate-denial-and-misinformation-lives-on-a-psychologist-offers-ways-to-counter-it\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >Longtime Exxon CEO Lee Raymond\u2019s legacy of climate denial and misinformation lives on \u2013 a psychologist offers ways to counter\u00a0it<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n            <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The English assumed people they colonized would convert to their way of life, including Protestant Christianity \u2014 an assumption reflected in Pocahontas\u2019 portrait.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":27788,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[87,71,83],"class_list":["post-27783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-and-culture","tag-expert-viewpoint","tag-history","tag-the-conversation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Beyond Disney: A 1616 portrait of Pocahontas shows how English colonizers saw Indigenous Americans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The English assumed people they colonized would convert to their way of life \u2014 an assumption reflected in Pocahontas\u2019 portrait.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"1616 Pocahontas portrait shows how colonizers saw Indigenous Americans\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The English assumed people they colonized would convert to their way of life \u2014 an assumption reflected in Pocahontas\u2019 portrait.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"USC Dornsife News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uscdornsife\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-26T15:53:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-26T18:18:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1150\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Darrin Joy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@uscdornsife\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@uscdornsife\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Darrin Joy\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/851085523b73581e3387a7fc90cadb96\"},\"headline\":\"Beyond Disney: A 1616 portrait of Pocahontas shows how English colonizers saw Indigenous Americans\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-26T15:53:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-26T18:18:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":13,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"expert viewpoint\",\"history\",\"the conversation\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Arts and Culture\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/\",\"name\":\"1616 Pocahontas portrait shows how colonizers saw Indigenous Americans\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-26T15:53:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-26T18:18:36+00:00\",\"description\":\"The English assumed people they colonized would convert to their way of life \u2014 an assumption reflected in Pocahontas\u2019 portrait.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1.jpg\",\"width\":2000,\"height\":1150,\"caption\":\"A black and white engraving of a woman with a serious expression, wearing an ornately embroidered gown\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Beyond Disney: A 1616 portrait of Pocahontas shows how English colonizers saw Indigenous Americans\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/\",\"name\":\"USC Dornsife News\",\"description\":\"USC Dornsife news and events\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"USC Dornsife News\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":330,\"caption\":\"USC Dornsife News\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/uscdornsife\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/uscdornsife\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/uscdornsife\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/USCCollege\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/school\\\/uscdornsife\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/851085523b73581e3387a7fc90cadb96\",\"name\":\"Darrin Joy\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/6146fe42c51c04a279975fc6b76b6dd8e0953f02c4c058e244e6f3e9220652b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/6146fe42c51c04a279975fc6b76b6dd8e0953f02c4c058e244e6f3e9220652b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/6146fe42c51c04a279975fc6b76b6dd8e0953f02c4c058e244e6f3e9220652b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Darrin Joy\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/dornsife.usc.edu\\\/news\\\/stories\\\/author\\\/darrinjo\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Beyond Disney: A 1616 portrait of Pocahontas shows how English colonizers saw Indigenous Americans","description":"The English assumed people they colonized would convert to their way of life \u2014 an assumption reflected in Pocahontas\u2019 portrait.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"1616 Pocahontas portrait shows how colonizers saw Indigenous Americans","og_description":"The English assumed people they colonized would convert to their way of life \u2014 an assumption reflected in Pocahontas\u2019 portrait.","og_url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/","og_site_name":"USC Dornsife News","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uscdornsife","article_published_time":"2026-05-26T15:53:57+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-05-26T18:18:36+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2000,"height":1150,"url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Darrin Joy","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@uscdornsife","twitter_site":"@uscdornsife","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/"},"author":{"name":"Darrin Joy","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/851085523b73581e3387a7fc90cadb96"},"headline":"Beyond Disney: A 1616 portrait of Pocahontas shows how English colonizers saw Indigenous Americans","datePublished":"2026-05-26T15:53:57+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-26T18:18:36+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/"},"wordCount":13,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1.jpg","keywords":["expert viewpoint","history","the conversation"],"articleSection":["Arts and Culture"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/","name":"1616 Pocahontas portrait shows how colonizers saw Indigenous Americans","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1.jpg","datePublished":"2026-05-26T15:53:57+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-26T18:18:36+00:00","description":"The English assumed people they colonized would convert to their way of life \u2014 an assumption reflected in Pocahontas\u2019 portrait.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/pocahontas-by-simon-van-de-passe-2000x1150-1.jpg","width":2000,"height":1150,"caption":"A black and white engraving of a woman with a serious expression, wearing an ornately embroidered gown"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/beyond-disney-a-1616-portrait-of-pocahontas-shows-how-english-colonizers-saw-indigenous-americans\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Beyond Disney: A 1616 portrait of Pocahontas shows how English colonizers saw Indigenous Americans"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/","name":"USC Dornsife News","description":"USC Dornsife news and events","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization","name":"USC Dornsife News","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg","width":1000,"height":330,"caption":"USC Dornsife News"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uscdornsife","https:\/\/x.com\/uscdornsife","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uscdornsife\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/USCCollege","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/uscdornsife"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/851085523b73581e3387a7fc90cadb96","name":"Darrin Joy","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6146fe42c51c04a279975fc6b76b6dd8e0953f02c4c058e244e6f3e9220652b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6146fe42c51c04a279975fc6b76b6dd8e0953f02c4c058e244e6f3e9220652b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6146fe42c51c04a279975fc6b76b6dd8e0953f02c4c058e244e6f3e9220652b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Darrin Joy"},"url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/author\/darrinjo\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27783"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27783\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27800,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27783\/revisions\/27800"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27788"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}