Los Angeles, CA (December 16, 2019)—Following a national search, the Autry Museum of the American West announced today the appointment of Joe D. Horse Capture and Tyree A. Boyd-Pates, two curators at the vanguard of their fields who will strengthen the Autry’s interpretive approach and its ability to tell the inclusive stories of the American West. Both bring deep knowledge in their respective areas of expertise and underscore the Autry’s commitment to advancing public understanding of the art, history, and cultures of the American West.  

“We are thrilled to welcome Joe and Tyree to our curatorial team. I have watched their career paths and development into public intellectuals with great admiration, and I know that their visions and insights will immeasurably enhance the Autry’s ability to reveal the stories, experiences, and perceptions of the diverse peoples of the American West,” said W. Richard West, Jr. (Southern Cheyenne), the Autry's President and CEO.  

Horse Capture, who will be appointed as Vice President of Native Collections and the Ahmanson Curator of Native American History and Culture, most recently served as Director of Native American Initiatives at the Minnesota Historical Society in Saint Paul, Minnesota. “I’m delighted to join the Autry. For over twenty years, my experience at cultural institutions has instilled in me the belief that museums like the Autry are positive forces for all communities. I am committed to a process of inclusion that ensures a diversity of voices are heard and honored and—to that end—I am excited to contribute to the Museum’s growing focus on contemporary Native arts and social concerns, as well as to further explore its exemplary collection,” said Horse Capture.  

“Raised in Los Angeles, and as a child who regularly visited Griffith Park’s sites and attractions, this is undoubtedly a full-circle moment,” said Boyd-Pates, who will be Associate Curator of Western History. He comes to the Autry from the California African American Museum (CAAM), where he was the History Curator and Public Program Manager, curating exhibitions about the history of African Americans in California and the West. “I look forward to supporting the Autry in broadening our collective understanding of American Western history, not only in a national context but globally. Through exhibitions and research, I will seek to examine histories through the lenses of diverse communities to understand what it means to be, truly, American.” 

About the Curators 

Joe D. Horse Capture is an enrolled member of the A’aninin tribe of Montana. He has more than 20 years of museum experience and served as the first Director of Native American Initiatives at the Minnesota Historical Society, where he developed and implemented a vision and strategy for American Indian programs and services in collaboration with American Indian communities in Minnesota and beyond. 

Prior to his position at the Minnesota Historical Society, Horse Capture was a curator for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian and served for 15 years as a curator of Native American arts at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Through his work history, he has built strong working relationships with many tribal nations. Horse Capture graduated from Montana State University-Bozeman with a BA in History. 

Tyree A. Boyd-Pates previously served as the History Curator and Public Program Manager at the California African American Museum (CAAM) in Los Angeles. During his tenure at CAAM, he has organized several acclaimed exhibitions, including Cross Colours: Black Fashion in the 20th Century (2019), Making Mammy: A Caricature of Black Womanhood, 1840– 1940 (2019), How Sweet the Sound: Gospel Music in Los Angeles