Description
Book SynopsisIndigenous Activism profiles eighteen American Indian women of the twentieth century who distinguished themselves through their political activism. Authors analyze the colorful careers of selected Indigenous women of North America during the last century, including Ramona Bennet, Mary Crow Dog, Ada Deer, LaDonna Harris, Wilma Mankiller, Alyce Spotted Bear, Irene Toledo, Marie Potts, Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, Harriette Shelton Dover, Lucy Covington, Dolly Smith Cusker Akers, Leslie Marmon Silko, Bea Medicine, and Elizabeth Cook-Lynn.
Trade ReviewMuch has been written of late on the role that Native American women have played in preserving ancestral homelands and lifeways. This beautifully constructed collection of essays is unique for its focus on the modern era, when an array of new threats to indigenous America caused Native women to employ both old and new sources of power to advance the welfare of their peoples. Rich in Native stories and voices, this volume should be required reading for all those seeking a deeper understanding of contemporary Indian affairs.
-- David W. Adams, Cleveland State University
Table of ContentsChapter 1: Red Power in the Northwest: Ramona Bennet
Chapter 2: It Isn’t Easy: Mary Crow Dog
Chapter 3: Power of Voice, Power of Land: Ada Deer
Chapter 4: Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee Activist: Suzan Shown Harjo
Chapter 5: Strikes With Puha—Power! LaDonna Harris
Chapter 6: Tribal Community and National Activist: Wilma Mankiller
Chapter 7: Numakshi Mihe, The Lead Woman of the Three Affiliated Tribes: Alyce Spotted Bear
Chapter 8: Navajo Judge, Crownpoint District: Irene Toledo
Chapter 9: “In Unity There Is Strength,” Writer and Activist: Marie Potts
Chapter 10: Cultural Activist: Zitkala-Ša, Gertrude Simmons Bonnin
Chapter 11: Where is Victory? Harriette Shelton Dover
Chapter 12: Ending Termination in Indian Country: Lucy Covington
Chapter 13: Good Hearted Woman: Cecilia Fire Thunder
Chapter 14: The Necessary Evil: Dolly Smith Cusker Akers
Chapter 15: Champion of the National Congress of the American Indian: Ruth Muskrat Bronson
Chapter 16: Seeking Justice through Storytelling: Leslie Marmon Silko
Chapter 17: Native American Scholar Activist: Bea Medicine
Chapter18: Literary Activist, Political Voice of Native America: Elizabeth Cook-Lynn
