Getting to Know the Native American Indian Tribes – U.S. History for Kids – Children’s American History, By Baby Professor
“There are several Native American tribes introduced in this US history book for kids. By going over the facts of the most influential tribes, you will see subtle similarities and differences. You will also be able to identify key indicators that make all these tribes Native American Indians.”
Pocahontas, By Ingri & Edgar Parin d’Aulaire
“A simple biography of the proud Indian princess who saved the life of John Smith, married an Englishman, and went to England where she met the Queen…”
Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving, By Joseph Bruchac
“In 1620 an English ship called the Mayflower landed on the shores inhabited by the Pokanoket, and it was Squanto who welcomed the newcomers and taught them how to survive. When a good harvest was gathered, the people feasted together--a tradition that continues almost four hundred years later.”
Children of the Longhouse, By Joseph Bruchac
“When Ohkwa'ri overhears a group of older boys planning a raid on a neighboring village, he immediately tells his Mohawk elders. He has done the right thing—but he has also made enemies. Grabber and his friends will do anything they can to hurt him, especially during the village-wide game of Tekwaarathon (lacrosse). Ohkwa'ri believes in the path of peace, but can peaceful ways work against Grabber's wrath?”
Who Was Sacagawea? By Judith Bloom Fradin
“Sacagawea was only sixteen when she made one of the most remarkable journeys in American history, traveling 4500 miles by foot, canoe, and horse-all while carrying a baby on her back! Without her, the Lewis and Clark expedition might have failed. Through this engaging book, kids will understand the reasons that today, 200 years later, she is still remembered and immortalized on a golden dollar coin.”
Who Was Sitting Bull? By Stephanie Spinner
“No one knew the boy they called “Jumping Badger” would grow to become a great leader. Born on the banks of the Yellowstone River, Sitting Bull, as he was later called, was tribal chief and holy man of the Lakota Sioux tribe in a time of fierce conflict with the United States. As the government seized Native American lands, Sitting Bull relied on his military cunning and strong spirituality to drive forces out of his territory and ensure a future homeland for his people.”
The Last of the Mohicans, By James Fenimore Cooper (author), Deanna McFadden (editor), Classic Starts®, (grades 2-4)
“A fascinating adventure story, grounded in American history. As the French and Indian war rages, the two daughters of a British officer prepare to return home. But when, Cora, Alice, and the soldiers who guard them are betrayed by their Native American scout, their safety depends on wily forest tracker Hawkeye and his friends Chingachkook and Uncas—the last of the Mohicans.”
The Last of the Mohicans, By James Fenimore Cooper (author), By Malvina Vogel (adapter), Great Illustrated Classics, (grades 4-7)
“Hawkeye, the colonial scout, and Chingachkook, the Mohican warrior, are brought together by their love of the New World forests and their desire for peace between their races. Set against the exciting days of the French and Indian War, their story -- heroically risking their lives to guide two English sisters through hostile territory, battling the evil Le Renard Subtil --is a story of how trust and understanding can develop between peoples of two cultures.”
500 Nations: An Illustrated History of North American Indians, By Alvin M. Josephy Jr.
“The companion volume to the 1995 popular PBS series of the same name, 500 Nations is a richly illustrated, absorbingly written history of North America's indigenous peoples. Drawing on creation stories, oral history, archaeological evidence, federal documents, and hundreds of published sources, Josephy takes us on an encyclopedic journey through Native America's past and present. Few scholars have Josephy's command of his broad and complex subject, and fewer still write as dexterously. The result: the best one-volume, general-interest study of Native American history now available.”
500 Nations (DVD), Produced by Jack Leustig
“With six episodes spread out over four discs and a running time of well over six hours (in addition to an interactive CD-ROM filled with extra features), director-producer Jack Leustig's sprawling 500 Nations, a history of Indians in North America, is likely the most comprehensive effort of its kind ever undertaken. Mention the word "Indian," and most will conjure up images inspired by myths and movies: teepees, headdresses, and war paint; Sitting Bull, Geronimo, Crazy Horse, and their battles (like Little Big Horn) with the U.S. Cavalry. Those stories of the so-called "horse nations" of the Great Plains are all here, but so is a great deal more. Using impressive computer imaging, photos, location film footage and breathtaking cinematography, interviews with present-day Indians, books and manuscripts, museum artifacts, and more, Leustig and his crew go back more than a millennium to present an fascinating account of Indians, including those (like the Maya and Aztecs in Mexico and the Anasazi in the Southwest) who were here long before white men ever reached these shores.”
The Patriot Chiefs: A Chronicle of American Indian Resistance, By Alvin M. Josephy
“Told through the life stories of nine Indian chiefs, this narrative depicts the American Indian effort to preserve a heritage and resist the changes brought by the white man. Hiawatha, King Philip, Popé, Pontiac, Tecumseh, Osceola, Black Hawk, Crazy Horse, and Chief Joseph each represent different tribal backgrounds, different times and places, and different aspects of Indian leadership. Soldiers, philosophers, orators, and statesmen, these leaders were the patriots of their people. Their heroic and tragic stories comprise an integral part of American history.”
The Song of Hiawatha, By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow with Illustrations from the Designs of Frederic Remington, 1855
“The infectious rhythm of The Song of Hiawatha has captured the ears of millions. Once drawn in, they've stayed to hear about the young brave with the magic moccasins, who talks with animals and uses his supernatural gifts to bring peace and enlightenment to his people. America's most popular nineteenth-century poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow devoted himself to providing his country with a national mythology, poetic tradition, and epic forms. Known and loved by generations of schoolchildren for its evocative storytelling, his 1855 classic is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature, combining romance and idealism in an idyllic natural setting.”
Life of Black Hawk, or Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak: Dictated by Himself, 1833
“A rediscovered, defiant work of Native American literature, presented here on the 175th anniversary of its first publication. Upon its publication in 1833, this unflinching narrative by the vanquished Sauk leader Black Hawk was the first thoroughly adversarial account of frontier hostilities between white settlers and Native Americans. Black Hawk, a complex, contradictory figure, relates his life story and that of his people, who had been forced from western Illinois in what was known as the Black Hawk War. The first published account of a victim of the American war of extermination, this vivid portrait of Indian life stands as a tribute to the author and his extraordinary people, as well as an invaluable historical document.”
History of the Indian Tribes of North America, By Thomas McKenney and James Hall, 1836-1844
“The History of the Indian Tribes of North America is a three-volume collection of Native American biographies and accompanying lithograph portraits originally published in the United States from 1836 to 1844 by Thomas McKenney and James Hall. The majority of the portraits were first painted in oil by Charles Bird King. McKenney was working as the U.S. Superintendent of Indian Trade and would head the Office of Indian Affairs, both then within the War Department. He planned publication of the biographical project to be supported by private subscription, as was typical for publishing of the time.”
Trail of Tears – A Native American Documentary Collection, DVD
“Native Americans have experienced a history full of oppression and racism. Since the period when Native tribes were found on this continent at the time of its "discovery", the British and American governments disregarded Native Americans as the owners of the territory they occupied and used aggressive force to take their lands and destroy their people. This harrowing and compelling compilation of 4 award-winning documentary programs chronicles the struggles of the Native American culture from the forced relocation known as the Trail of Tears to the current issues faced by America's aboriginal people.”
A Century of Dishonor: The Classic Exposé of the Plight of the Native Americans, By Helen Hunt Jackson, 1898
“Helen Hunt Jackson's [born in Amherst, MA) famous exposé chronicles the oppression and murder the Native American peoples suffered throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. This book was published in 1885, at a time when the final conflicts between the United States and the Native American populations were being fought. The concept of allotted reservations as a means of settling land disputes had by then been underway for decades. At this point in time, the colonial settlers from Europe had spent over a century driving back the native inhabitants of North America. Jackson casts her examination over the preceding century, cataloging the systematic process through which the Native American populace was suppressed, killed and robbed of their lands and heritage. Each separate tribe is considered, such as the Cherokees, Sioux and the Delawares: for each we are given a cultural profile, before Jackson details the interactions - peaceful and hostile - each respective tribe had with the incipient European settlers.”
Tecumseh, By John Sugden
“If Sitting Bull is the most famous Indian, Tecumseh is the most revered. He does not stand for one tribe or nation, but for all Native Americans. He remains the ultimate symbol of endeavor and courage. Over thirty years in the writing, this is the first authoritative biography of the principal organizer and driving force of Native American confederacy. For anyone studying the early years of the Republic or Native American history, it is essential reading.”
The North American Indian, By Edward S. Curtis, 1906
“Edward Curtis was an American photographer and ethnologist whose work focused on the American West and on Native American people… In 1906, J. P. Morgan provided Curtis with $75,000 to produce a series on Native Americans.This work was to be in 20 volumes with 1,500 photographs. Morgan's funds were to be disbursed over five years and were earmarked to support only fieldwork for the books, not for writing, editing, or production of the volumes. Curtis received no salary for the project, which was to last more than 20 years. Under the terms of the arrangement, Morgan was to receive 25 sets and 500 original prints as repayment… Eventually 222 complete sets were published. Curtis's goal was not just to photograph but also to document as much of Native American traditional life as possible before that way of life disappeared… Curtis made over 10,000 wax cylinder recordings of Native American language and music. He took over 40,000 photographic images of members of over 80 tribes. He recorded tribal lore and history, and he described traditional foods, housing, garments, recreation, ceremonies, and funeral customs. He wrote biographical sketches of tribal leaders. His material, in most cases, is the only written recorded history, although there is still a rich oral tradition that preserves history.”
We Shall Remain: America Through Native Eyes, DVD
“A provocative multi-media project that establishes Native history as an essential part of American history. The centerpiece of this initiative is a television series that tells five heartbreaking, yet inspiring stories. Together they highlight Native ingenuity and resilience over the course of 300 years. The series upends two-dimensional stereotypes of American Indians as simply ferocious warriors or peaceable lovers of the land.”
The Lance and the Shield: The Life and Times of Sitting Bull, By Robert M. Utley
“To most white Americans of the mid-19th century, Sitting Bull embodied the hostile native. To the Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux, he was a patriot and a respected political, military and spiritual leader. Utley (Cavalier in Buckskin), a former chief historian of the National Park Service, presents a definitive biography of this legendary warrior. Born in 1831 on the great Plains, son of a chief, Sitting Bull was a seasoned warrior by the age of 15; at 26, he was tribal war chief. As the conflicts with the U.S. Army began in the 1850s, Sitting Bull represented the spirit of resistance among his people. Utley follows the increasing hostilities of succeeding years and gives a vivid account of the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876. Three years after fleeing to Canada, Sitting Bull returned to the U.S. and reservation life. In 1890, he was shot by Indian police sent to arrest him before his intended departure for a sundance at another reservation. Utley believes that the arrest was unjustified, but that the shooting, which led to the Battle of Wounded Knee a few months later, was not premeditated.”
The Cheyenne, By Frederic Remington, 1901, The MET, NYC
“In 1901 Remington modeled this Cheyenne man racing on horseback. The muscular rider, wearing only a loincloth and moccasins, leans forward, clutching a spear and a quirt. His mount is depicted at full gallop, or “burning the air,” as Remington described it: ears back, tail flowing, and all four hooves off the ground. The buffalo robe that serves as a saddle trails off the airborne horse to its right and functions as the means of linking figures to the base.”
Kachinas: Spirit Beings of the Hopi, By Neil David and J. Brent Ricks
“The Hopi Indians have had Kachinas in their religion for over one thousand years. Over the years many works have been published about the Kachinas. Most of these have discussed them from the white man's interpretation of what the Hopi have told him. This book gives readers the perspective of the Hopis. The seventy-nine Kachinas depicted in this book were painted by Neil David, Sr., a Hopi-Tewa from First Mesa, in the village of Hano, Arizona. The paintings show both the front and back of each Kachina; that is the entire costume of the Kachina. The descriptions of the Kachinas have come from the mouths of various Hopi. They discuss differences in the Kachinas as they appear on each of the three Southwest mesas where the Hopi make their home. The Kachinas which appear in this book are, in general, rare and unusual Kachinas and will enlighten those who wish to learn about and appreciate the Kachinas, Spirit Beings of the Hopi.”
Geronimo, By Robert M. Utley
“Renowned for ferocity in battle, legendary for an uncanny ability to elude capture, feared for the violence of his vengeful raids, the Apache fighter Geronimo captured the public imagination in his own time and remains a figure of mythical proportion today. This thoroughly researched biography by a renowned historian of the American West strips away the myths and rumors that have long obscured the real Geronimo and presents an authentic portrait of a man with unique strengths and weaknesses and a destiny that swept him into the fierce storms of history. Historian Robert Utley draws on an array of new sources and his own lifelong research on the mountain West and white-Indian conflicts of the late nineteenth century to create an updated, accurate, and highly exciting narrative of Geronimo's life.”
Chief Joseph & the Flight of the Nez Perce: The Untold Story of an American Traged, By Kent Nerburn
“Hidden in the shadow cast by the great western expeditions of Lewis and Clark lies another journey every bit as poignant, every bit as dramatic, and every bit as essential to an understanding of who we are as a nation - the 1,800-mile journey made by Chief Joseph and eight hundred Nez Perce men, women, and children from their homelands in what is now eastern Oregon through the most difficult, mountainous country in western America to the high, wintry plains of Montana. There, only forty miles from the Canadian border and freedom, Chief Joseph, convinced that the wounded and elders could go no farther, walked across the snowy battlefield, handed his rifle to the U.S. military commander who had been pursuing them, and spoke his now-famous words, "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."”
Black Elk: The Life of an American Visionary, By Joe Jackson
“The epic life story of the Native American holy man who has inspired millions around the world. Black Elk, the Native American holy man, is known to millions of readers around the world from his 1932 testimonial Black Elk Speaks. Adapted by the poet John G. Neihardt from a series of interviews with Black Elk and other elders at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, Black Elk Speaks is one of the most widely read and admired works of American Indian literature. Cryptic and deeply personal, it has been read as a spiritual guide, a philosophical manifesto, and a text to be deconstructed?while the historical Black Elk has faded from view.”
The Earth Is Weeping: The Epic Story of the Indian Wars for the American West, By Peter Cozzens
“After the Civil War the Indian Wars would last more than three decades, permanently altering the physical and political landscape of America. Peter Cozzens gives us both sides in comprehensive and singularly intimate detail. He illuminates the intertribal strife over whether to fight or make peace; explores the dreary, squalid lives of frontier soldiers and the imperatives of the Indian warrior culture; and describes the ethical quandaries faced by generals who often sympathized with their native enemies. In dramatically relating bloody and tragic events as varied as Wounded Knee, the Nez Perce War, the Sierra Madre campaign, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn, we encounter a pageant of fascinating characters, including Custer, Sherman, Grant, and a host of officers, soldiers, and Indian agents, as well as great native leaders such as Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Geronimo, and Red Cloud and the warriors they led. The Earth Is Weeping is a sweeping, definitive history of the battles and negotiations that destroyed the Indian way of life even as they paved the way for the emergence of the United States we know today.”
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West, By Dee Brown
“In 1970, when Dee Brown published this volume recounting the Indian wars of the second half of the 19th century from the viewpoint of Native Americans, it was what critics call an instant classic. In the case of Bury My Heart, the critics were for once absolutely correct. Learning at last the history of the Old West as told by those on the losing side was a large part of the "agonizing reappraisals" that occurred throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. The inevitable, reactionary response to this book from the usual suspects in no way weakens the fundamental strengths of this great work.”
