She was known to Denig.

She was known to Kurz.

She was the subject of Beckwourth’s fictionalized account.

She was included in the Bureau of American Ethnology’s publications when Denig’s writings were eventually published.

And she was still essentially unknown to most Americans throughout the twentieth century.

The reason is not mysterious: the channels through which historical fame is created were not transmitting her story.

The scholarly publications that contained Denig’s account were specialized and not widely read.