James Patrick Brady (1908-1967) helped conceptualize Métis political self-determination through his photography and activism, and his work made their identity something to be proud of rather than suppressed. This thesis considers examples from his photographic collection as an extension of his efforts to organize the Métis in Alberta and Saskatchewan under his personal interpretation of Marxism which accommodated for Indigenous identities. His political philosophy developed from personal experiences as a laborer and generations of community organizing in his Métis-Irish family. Brady’s photographs reflect his subjects’ shared Métis and Indigenous histories, and provide visual evidence that supports the merit and necessity of continued advocacy efforts.
