PILA (Plains Ledger Art Project)

PILA facilitates the digitization of the unique genre of Plains drawing on paper during the 1860-1900s for preservation, research, and public access.

The project is located in the Department of Ethnic Studies at UC San Diego. Please explore PILA 2.0 with its wealth of new features, including user's galleries for image uploads, a slideshow mode, and user comments and threaded discussions. Check out the newest ledger books, a sketchbook by Etadleuh Doanmoe, a Kiowa warrior-artist imprisoned in 1875 at Fort Marion, St. Augustine, FL. This sketchbo

07/07/2025

https://mingei.org/exhibitions/historic-footprints

Historic Footprints: Native American Ledger Drawing from Fort Marion
at Mingei International Museum until August 17, 2025.

Co-curated by Ross Frank, a project of the Plains Indian Ledger Art (PILA) project at the Department of Ethnic Studies, U.C. San Diego.

Historic Footprints Ledger drawings, as they have come to be known, represent an adaptation of materials, styles, and images to continue telling stories and recording history.

04/06/2024

Please checkout the new version of the PILA website! This is the 3rd redesigned website since PILA began in 1995 and has lots more useful tools for those have a free account. So, sign in or sign up, and please tell everyone else!!

12/22/2021

Please consider donating to PILA!

• continuing to digitize ledger books and add them to PILA
• outreach to custodians of ledger books for their participation
• creating an updated PILA web site for 2022

https://giveto.ucsd.edu/PlainsIndianLedgerArtDigitalPublishingProject

We will send a calendar along...

12/02/2021

Sorry, the 2022 PILA Calendars are SOLD Out!!

The 2022 PILA Calendars are here!
Lakota Ledger Drawings From the Crow Dog Trial (1882-83)
They are $14.70 each + $9.30 shipping (for up to 3 calendars)
Order yours now!!
Links for 1, 2, or 3 calendars here:
https://plainsledgerart.org/product_categories/index/10/
Shipping NOW!!

01/09/2021

Only 2 PILA 2021 calendars left. First come first served. Message or email for link to purchase.

12/27/2020

Last chance to order a PILA 2021 calendar1
You may reserve 1-3 in advance - placing a small order shortly.

12/15/2020

PILA 2021 Calendars are SOLD OUT!
Please message me with the number you want to order.
We will order more if I have enough requests and notify you.

12/15/2020

Only a few 2021 PILA Calendars left. Order below if you want them..

12/11/2020

Just in - from the PILA Store!!
Northern Cheyenne Ledger Art by Fort Robinson Breakout Survivors
By Denise Low and Ramon Powers
Hardcover - 288 pages, 43 color ledger drawings, 3 photographs, 3 tables, index

History and analysis of drawings by Native warriors—Wild Hog, Porcupine, and Left Hand, as well as possibly Noisy Walker (or Old Man), Old Crow, Blacksmith, and Tangled Hair—as they awaited probable ex*****on in the Dodge City jail in 1879.

Purchase your copy here:
https://plainsledgerart.org/products/view/629