Curtis, Natalie (1875–1921)

US ethnomusicologist. She recorded the music of American Indians and black Americans, providing a basic historical source and enhancing respect for their cultures. Her first book, The Indians' Book (1907), included folklore, poetry, and religious texts as well as songs. For the black American songs she published Hampton Series Negro Folk-Songs (1918–19).

She was born in New York City. Intending a career as a concert pianist, she went to Europe to study with Ferruccio Busoni and others, but on her return (about 1900) she visited Arizona and became so entranced by the American Indians' culture that she decided to record their music. Most of her work was with the Plains and Pueblo tribes. At first she recorded with a phonograph but she turned to transcribing the songs with pencil on paper; she also photographed many subjects. She was killed by a taxi in Paris where she had gone to address an international congress on art history.