by Kent Nerburn
First published 1994
Kent Nerburn presents three pivotal moments when Native American chiefs stood before their people and their adversaries to speak truths that would echo through generations. Red Jacket rises in 1805 to defend his people's spiritual beliefs against missionary pressure. Chief Seattle addresses territorial officials in 1854 as white settlers flood his ancestral lands. Chief Joseph speaks in 1879 after leading his band on their desperate flight toward freedom, only to face surrender and exile. Each leader grapples with the impossible choice between resistance and accommodation as their world transforms around them. These speeches capture the dignity, wisdom, and heartbreak of leaders who understood they were witnessing the end of an era while fighting to preserve what they could of their people's future.
Genres: 20th-century, non-fiction, 19th-century, native-american, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-clash, historical-figures, resistance
Setting: United States
Period: 1805, 1854, 1879
70 pages · Hardcover · New World Library