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Trail of Tears Review

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(More customer reviews)Jahoda's "Trail of Tears" is a good companion to Dee Brown's "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" - in fact, Brown basically picks up where Jahoda leaves off both chronologically and geographically. Although hardly comprehensive (such an account of the Indian removals east of the Mississipi would require many volumes), Jahoda nonetheless provides a rather exhaustive review of the removal of the "five civilized tribes" as well as a number of midwestern peoples. Jahoda notes the particular senselessness of 'removing' the eastern tribes, as many had already been integrated into the lifestyle of the American settlers (some even became major plantation owners, complete with slaves) and/or became devout Christians. What comes out here is that it was not a matter of dealing with 'savages' but racism, plain and simple. Needless to say, "Trail of Tears" is not only an illuminating history but also a rather instructive text.

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Insightful, rarely told history of Indian courage in the face of White expansionism in the 19th century.Truth-telling tale of the ruthless brutality that forced the Native American population into resettlement camps and reservations, with a look at the few white Americans who fought to help them.

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Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation Review

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(More customer reviews)John Ehle, a native son of North Carolina, has dedicated most of his life toward using his pen to bring to life the rich history of his birthstate. With Trail of Tears, he has succeeded again where so many others, in this day and age of political correctness and historical revisionism, have failed. Ehle's work is factually rich, it is obvious Mr. Ehle spent many hours in archives thoroughly researching the book's subject matter. The book's narrative structure is compelling, focusing on the role of several prominent families within the Cherokee Nation to animate the hierarchical structure of Cherokee society and the stratification of power therein.
Some readers will be shocked to discover how pervasive European culture was within significant elements of the Cherokee nation in North Carolina. The curiosity of most readers will be piqued again and again with the factually accurate exposure to the structure of the Cherokee's -- Christian churches, post office, town hall -- how they made a concerted effort to adapt to the European white world in an effort to integrate, and therefore survive, amidst a sea of change occurring during the 19th century.
Mr. Ehle's work has been criticized for its depiction of wealthy, landed Cherokee's as slave owners. This evidence flies in the face of the more contemporary interpretation of the brotherhood of the oppressed alleged to exist between persecuted American Indians and the African slave population. This notion is patently false. At the time, the Cherokees were neither persecuted nor advocates of slave rights. They were, as Mr. Ehle points out, consistently adapting the institutions of the white European settlers, good or bad, and slavery was one of those institutions the Cherokees adopted.
Perhaps the greatest tragedy here is that Mr. Ehle did not tell the story of other regional Indian nations, such as the Muskhogean tribes of the Chicksaw and Choctaw peoples, both of which suffered exponentially more at the hands of the American government and white European settlers than did the Cherokee. Unfortunately, as with most events in history, much of what we don't want to see is swept under the carpet of painful ingorance.
Despite this shortcoming, and one cannot fault Mr. Ehle for not expanding the scope of his work, I strongly recommend this book and understand why it continues to be found on the syllabi of all serious academic courses on American Indian history.

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The fascinating portrayal of the Cherokee nation, filled with Native American legend, lore, and religion -- a gripping American drama of power, politics, betrayal, and ambition.B & W photographs

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Kidnapped and Sold By Indians -- True Story of a 7-Year-Old Settler Child (Annotated and Illustrated) (First_Hand Account Of Being Kidnapped By Indians) Review

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(More customer reviews)This account can be quickly read and had interesting insights into the life and travelings of Native Americans of the time. A white boy stolen from his family and assimilated into another life is compelling. When he learns that he might have been abducted and was not truly Native American he feels the need to look for his white family. Given the approval of the chief he leaves behind a wife and 2 children in search of his people promising to return.
Knowing that Native American children were routinely and legally kidnapped from their families to be forcibly assimilated into white culture was in my mind all through the book.
He was traded from tribe to tribe and traveled the entire length of the continent and into the Arctic with them as he crossed tribal territories. He describes different traditions from tribe to tribe.
His story is told dispassionately in that clear but stilted turn of the century English and it reads like he is simply sitting there with you reciting the events.
Enjoyed the read.

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' This newly revised edition includes annotations and content about another child kidnapped by Indians who went on to give birth to the last Comanche chief. ' It also includes 12 dynamic historical photographs from the National Archives depicting the numerous tribes Mathew Brayton lived among and fought with. This first-hand narrative of the life of Matthew Brayton, a seven-and-a-half year old white child of a settler who was kidnapped and sold many times by Native Americans in the beginning of the 19th century, probably doesn't share all the gory details of his abuse when initially captured, but you can read between the lines. Still, this first-hand account does shed much light on what it was really like to come under the charge of many different Indian tribes.Although Brayton's treatment was not entirely negative or positive, his frank and blunt story does much to dispel the romantic stories that have been perpetuated about young settlers' children who became Indian chattel. It does much to tell true history and dispel any deliberate or accidental revisions. In many cases the Indians treated Brayton well, but there can be no doubt that they stole from him and his family a life that would end up confused and stuck between two worlds. Although Brayton did finally unite with many of his natural family, he never stopped identifying with Native Americans, and he was forced to leave an Indian wife and child behind. In fact, when the War of Rebellion or Civil War broke out, Brayton enlisted and served in an American Indian brigade. Chet DembeckPublisher of One

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American Indian Removal and the Trail to Wounded Knee (Defining Moments) Review

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(More customer reviews)Defining Moments: American Indian Removal and the Trail to Wounded Knee is the latest installment in the "Defining Moments" series of invaluable resources chronicling important events in America's history. Like all volumes in the series, American Indian Removal and the Trail to Wounded Knee is divided into three sections: the Narrative Overview section, summarizing the events of the governmental policy that ultimately led to an infamous massacre; the Biographies section which concentrates information about key historical figures (along with a list of resources for further information on various individuals); and the Primary Sources section offering a wide assortment of original references and documents - letters, memoirs, official records, and much more. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this detailed, practical, user-friendly historical compendium, highly recommended for public and college library reference shelves.

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One of the introductory volumes in a series designed to provide authoritative, useful resources on American History, Defining Moments: American Indian Removal and the Trail to Wounded Knee provides readers with a detailed overview of the 1890 massacre of more than 250 Native American men, women, and children by the United States Cavalry at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. The authors analyze the conditions that led to this horrific event and its effect on the country's political, cultural, and social landscape, then and now. The research presented here is arranged in three distinct sections: narrative overview; biographies, which includes background on principal figures involved in the massacre; and primary sources. This unique and comprehensive volume also includes a glossary of important people, places, and terms, as well as a chronology of events, a subject index, and an annotated list of sources for further study. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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They Called Me Uncivilized: The Memoir of an Everyday Lakota Man from Wounded Knee Review

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(More customer reviews)Just the book I needed! Social facts, reoccurring memories, natural spirituality and healing, wisdom and insight minus all of the academic jargon.

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Eyewitness at Wounded Knee (Great Plains Photography) Review

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(More customer reviews)Was so inspired by the photographs in this book, I took it with me on one of my visits to Wounded Knee, to compare and photograph pictures from on or near the same place the photographer(s) did at that time, at the massacre site as well as the town itself.There are many pictures that I had not seen anywhere else in this book, and anyone interested in this place in history has got to have it. Textually very good as well.

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On a wintry day in December 1890, near a creek named Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, the Seventh Cavalry of the U.S. Army opened fire on an encampment of Sioux Indians. This assault claimed more than 250 lives, including those of many Indian women and children. The tragedy at Wounded Knee has often been written about, but the existing photographs have received little attention until now.Eyewitness at Wounded Knee brings together and assesses for the first time some 150 photographs that were made before and immediately after the massacre. Present at the scene were two itinerant photographers, George Trager and Clarence Grant Morelodge, whose work has never before been published. Accompanying commentaries focus on both the Indian and the military sides of the story. Richard E. Jensen analyzes the political and economic quagmire in which the Sioux found themselves after 1877. R. Eli Paul considers the army's role at Wounded Knee. John E. Carter discusses the photographers and also the reporters and relic hunters who were looking to profit from the misfortune of others.
For this Bison Books edition each image has been digitally enhanced and restored, making the photographs as compelling as the event itself. Heather Cox Richardson tells the story behind the endeavor to present a meaningful account of this significant historical event.

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Trail to Wounded Knee: The Last Stand of the Plains Indians 1860-1890 (National Geographic) Review

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(More customer reviews)When I first looked at this book I thought it would be either a white man's history of the American west or an apologists view of our failed Indian policies of the 19th century. But as I delved into it deeper, I was impressed with Herman Viola's knowledge and writing style. He is director of a Smithsonian division and uses his skills to write a history that is neither pro-imperialism nor apologetic. The Indian wars were a disgrace to American "foreign" policy but those of us living in the 21st century need an accurate account of them to allow us to come to terms with our own history.
Since National Geographic published the book there are plenty of maps and photographs to add life to the book. This is not a dry old history book but is meant to be read and used as reference for further research into the subject. It is a good companion to the Dee Brown classic "Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee" though I doubt the author really tried to dispell any points Dee Brown may have made. The Trail to Wounded Knee is an important book that provides insight into our past. For this reason anyone interested in Indian policy or 19th century American history should seriously consider reading this book.

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A meticulously researched, richly illustrated study chronicles the decimation of the Plains Indians and their culture over the course of a single generation, spanning three decades of warfare from 1860 to 1890, leading to the final massacre at Wounded Knee.

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Lost Bird Of Wounded Knee: Spirit Of The Lakota Review

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(More customer reviews)In December 1890 the United States of America massacred an unarmed band of Lakota men, women and children at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. Most of them were starving and many of them were very ill. They were cut down like prey in the bitter snows of the Badlands and it was a sad day for Human Beings, one of many days I can never get out of my heart. There was a tiny miracle that day. A little baby girl survived unharmed, protected were she fell, by the body of her murdered mother. She was taken in by other Lakota people but Brigadier General and future Assistant District Attorney of the United States, Leonard W. Colby kidnapped and then adopted the baby as a "living curio." This murderous, inhumane and corrupt man wanted a little souvenir so he stole a human being, a helpless infant, and ripped her away from her people and her culture. He exploited her to attract prominent tribes as clients of his law practice. His wife, Clara B. Colby, who later divorced him was a prominent suffragist and newspaper editor. She tried to give this little Lost Bird a stable home and she meant well but she could never replace the Lakota ways or help Lost Bird to fit in to an alien and inhumane world. Lost Bird, whose real name was Zintkala Nuni only lived to be 29 years old and her short life was filled with pain and degradation and tragedy. She suffered sexual abuse, violence, prostitution and rejection. She was a being caught between two worlds and accepted in neither. The author of this book has done a wonderful job of bringing this poignant story to light. She illustrates the atmosphere of the times and offers rich insight into the insidious racism of the America of that time. This is a story of not only the cruelty that was done to the Native peoples of this land but of the misogynous, unscrupulous and socially unjust attitudes and actions of the leaders and people of this country. It is a testiment to endurance, a chronicle of tragedy. In 1991 Zintkala Nuni was returned from her burial place in California to Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation in the Badlands of South Dakota. She was buried with respect and ceremony among her people. Last summer I drove past the crowded impoverished homes to pay my respects to the people who died that day at Wounded Knee. I saw the harsh reality of the ancient gray hills of the Badlands with their ghostly beauty. I saw the offerings and prayer bundles in the burial grounds. I talked with two men selling souvenirs, trying to make a few dollars in a place where work is so hard to find. The arrogance and greed that murdered so many people, that stole a little girl from her people, that sought to cripple and defeat a powerful People is still alive and walking in the land but it has not succeeded. This book may help people to feel the injustice in their heart of hearts. It may illuminate our past and open our eyes to the injustice we still condone, many of us, with our silence. It is a powerful and moving story, well told.

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In The Shadow of Wounded Knee: The Untold Final Chapter of the Indian Wars Review

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(More customer reviews)The more you read about American history the more you come to realize the significance that so many obscure and long forgotten events had on the history of our nation. I have read about a great many such events over the past few years and this was a major reason that I was drawn to Roger DiSilvestro's new book "In The Shadow Of Wounded Knee". Certainly I had read about the tragic events that had taken place at Wounded Knee SD in that last week of December 1890. But I was totally clueless about the subsequent assassination of Lt. Edward Casey by a young Lakota warrier known as Plenty Horses and of the ambush and cold-blooded killing just days later of a middle-aged Lakota Indian known as Few Tails by three brothers named Culbertson. Both Plenty Horses and the Culbertson brothers would be accused of murder and be forced to stand trial. The outcomes of these trials were assumed to be a foregone conclusion but events were rapidly unfolding that had the potential to alter the outcomes of one or both of these trials.
There was much at stake for both the Lakota Indians and for the newly arrived ranchers and settlers.
Understanding just what was going on in the Dakotas during these troubled times would be extremely difficult without an understanding of the history of relations between the U.S. government and the Indian nations. In the first four chapters of "In The Shadow Of Wounded Knee" Roger DiSilvestro does a superb job of getting the reader up to speed on this checkered history. And so when these two unfortunate killings occur in January 1891 the reader is abundantly aware of the context in which this violence took place. At the same time you will be much more likely to understand the highly charged climate that surrounded each of these trials. If you are an avid reader of history like I am then "In The Shadow of Wounded Knee" will give you another little piece of the puzzle that will help you to understand just what was going on in the Plains as hostilities between the U.S. Army and the Indian nations were beginning to wind down. Clearly most Indian leaders could see the handwriting on the wall. "In The Shadow of Wounded Knee" is extremely well researched and very well written. My kudos to Roger DiSilvestro for a job well done. Highly Recommended.

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Wounded Knee 1973: A Personal Account (Modern Scandinavian Literature in Transl) Review

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(More customer reviews)Stanley Lyman, longtime BIA employee, offers us his posthumous journal which covers the occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973. Whether one agress or disagrees with Lyman, this book is definately an important addition to the overall literature surrounding this event. This was written in 1973, Lyman died in 1979, and the book was first published in 1993.
We have copious works on the AIM point of view, the Lakota point of view, biographies on Banks, Means, and Crow Dog, but this is the first account that I have read which gives a detailed look at the BIA side along with looks at the U.S. Marshall's and the Oglala tribal government under Dick Wilson.
Lyman states over and over that whites can not understand the Lakota, or their ways, or the things they do. He comes across as a man who means well and wants to do what is best for the tribe, but his lack of understanding is blatantly obvious. He comments that Leonard Crow Dog (Brule Lakota medicine man) has no place or purpose in visiting Pine Ridge because Crow Dog is from Rosebud (that is Lyman's arguement. he should have just said he didn't want Crow Dog to be there as AIM's medicine man). I wonder if the Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, and the other Oglalas turned away Sitting Bull based on the fact that he was a Hunkpapa medicine man and not Oglala.
There was obviously great tension on the reservation during this whole affair, but Lyman plays it cool and comes across as a man who is unafraid to stand up for his thoughts. He has very interesting views of both Dick Wilson's group and the AIM group. He felt victorious seeing Russell Means handcuffed and taken away and he felt disparaged to learn that Means was out on bail 2 days later. We get to see hints of conversations with government officials and Dick Wilson. He speaks often of people (mostly full-bloods) whose friendships he has lost over time - we were once friends, now we are not. It is sometimes hard to understand why he remained at Pine Ridge as long as he did.
If you are overtly interested in Wounded Knee II, I would say that this is a book that should be added to your library. As with any touchy subject, you may not agree with a thing Lyman says, but it is nice to see what was going on on that side of the bunkers. Give it a read and see what you think.

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Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: The Illustrated Edition: An Indian History of the American West Review

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(More customer reviews)Saw this book at the Smithsonian Indiian Museum in Washington DC. My husband couldn't put it down. This is the one with the illustrations which really brings home the story. Great read, great book. Anyone interested in learning the other side of the Indian story needs to read this.

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For the first time: a full-color illustrated edition of Dee Brown's classic history of the American West!Eloquent, heartbreaking, and meticulously documented, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee follows the systematic destruction of the American Indian during the second half of the 19th century. Upon its publication in 1970, the book was universally lauded and became a cultural phenomenon that proved instrumental in transforming public perceptions of manifest destiny and the "winning" of the West. Using council records, autobiographies, and firsthand descriptions, Brown's work highlighted the voices of those American Indians who actually experienced the battles, massacres, and broken treaties. Here is their view of the events that ultimately left them demoralized and defeated, including: the Battle of Sand Creek; Red Cloud's War; the Battle of the Little Bighorn; and, of course, the Wounded Knee Massacre. Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, and Spotted Tail—the great chiefs and warriors of the Dakota, Ute, Cheyenne, and other tribes—come to life through their own words and formal portraits. Now, hundreds of illustrations—including maps, photographs, sketches, and paintings—enhance Brown's masterpiece, making it even more vivid and personal. In addition to the incredible images, this edition also features relevant excerpts from such highly acclaimed Native-American themed books as Where White Men Fear to Tread by Russell Means, Mystic Chords of Memory by Michael Kammen, and Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog, as well as all-new essays by contemporary historians and Native American leaders like Elliott West and Joseph Marshall III.

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