Written for adolescents, this biography of the Shoshoni woman, Sacagawea, who acted as interpreter, intermediary, and guide to the Lewis and Clark Expedition emphasizes the insecurities of an American Indian woman living in the early 19th century. The known life of Sacagawea is described as involving: a period of time with the Hidatsas who had…

Fifty years after the death of Black Hawk, the greatest warrior of the Sac and Fox tribe, his great-great-grandson was born: Jim Thorpe, one of the greatest athletes of all time. This biography opens with Black Hawk and a brief history of the Sac and Fox Indians. Then Jim's story begins, in a simple log cabin in Oklahoma, in 1888. Even in his…

The great American ballerina, Maria Tallchief, was born in 1925 in Fairfax, Oklahoma. Her mother was White and her father was a full-blood Osage. Her younger sister, Marjorie, also became a famous dancer. The Osage originally lived in western Missouri. They lived in lodges or tepees and were farmers and hunters. The U.S. Government moved them to…

Among the Native Americans, few tribes were as warlike as the Apaches of the Southwest. The courage and ferocity of Apache warriors like Geronimo, Cochise, Victorio, and Mangas Coloradas is legendary. Based on a true story, this book is about an Apache boy who was captured by an enemy tribe and sold to a white man. Carlos Gentile, a photographer…

A collection of 20 short biographies of American Indian warriors, statesmen, prophets, and scholars highlights leaders in the often tragic, yet inspiring, saga of North American Indians. Most of the heroes and heroines whose lives are briefly described were chiefs; some of them have become famous around the world. All were leaders in a great…

Written for students in grades five and up, this biography focuses upon the later years of the Algonquin chief, Powhatan, and his efforts to achieve peace with the Jamestown, Virginia colonists around 1607. As the chief ruling over 32 separate tribes in the Powhatan Confederacy, Powhatan's dedication to peace is described in terms of the sacrifice…

Sitting Bull was a complex man, living in complicated times. A Hunkpapa Sioux, he grew up on the Great Plains of South Dakota. His early years, as described in this biography, were taken up with the hunt, forays against Crow Indians, and his development as a warrior and leader through the Vision Quest and Sun Dance. A man of considerable talents,…

Sarah Winnemucca was a full-blood Paiute Indian born in 1844 in Nevada. The Paiute hunted and gathered and lived in wigwams constructed of branches, brush, and hides. Sarah's grandfather, Captain Truckee, befriended the explorer John C. Fremont and went with him to California. Captain Truckee admired White people's clothing and houses and,…

Susan LaFlesche Picotte was born in 1865 on the Omaha Reservation in Nebraska. Her father was chief of the Omahas even though he was only part Omaha. She liked school, and was educated at the reservation school, the Elizabeth Institute for Young Ladies in New Jersey, and the Hampton Institute in Virginia. Her desire to become a doctor began in…

The life stories of eight Navajo ("Dine", their term for themselves) leaders are presented in volume one of this collection of biographies. Interspersed with portraits, drawings, and maps, the narrative chronologically covers the time period from 1766 when the Navajos lived on land under the rule of Spain into the twentieth century and…

The second of two volumes, this collection contains biographies of seven Navajo men and women chosen to represent Navajo leadership in the twentieth century. Originally appearing in a 1970 publication of the Rough Rock Demonstration School, the biographies appear here unchanged in order to make them available once again. In addition to the life…

Written for youth in grades five and up, this biography of the famous Hopi potter, Daisy Hooee Nampeyo, emphasizes Daisy's ability to maintain the ancient traditions of the Pueblo potters despite the fact that she has led an exceptionally varied and often non-traditional life. Daisy's life is described as taking a most unusual turn when Anita…

A great monument is being blasted out of Thunderhead Mountain near Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Slowly, Chief Crazy Horse emerges from the stone. One day he will sit on his Indian pony pointing over the Black Hills as though saying, "My lands are where my dead lie buried." This biography of Crazy Horse begins with sculptor Korczak…

This compendium of information and ideas is intended as a resource for teachers introducing the study of Oregon history to elementary school children. Brief discussions of 42 topics are followed by suggestions for classroom activities using this information. The topics include the various state symbols, Indian legends, the origin of the state…

Although Will Rogers often described himself as "just a cowboy with a lot of luck," he was more than that. At one time or another he was a vaudeville entertainer, film star, world traveler, author, columnist, and after-dinner speaker. The most beloved figure of his time, this famous humorist was also part Cherokee Indian. Rogers was born…