Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is a historical account of the treatment of Native Americans in the United States during the late 19th century, written by Dee Brown and published in 1970 by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. The book focuses on the experiences of various Native American tribes, including the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Comanche, and their interactions with the United States Army, United States Congress, and other government agencies, such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office of Indian Affairs. The title of the book refers to the Wounded Knee Massacre, a tragic event that occurred on December 29, 1890, near Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota, involving the 7th Cavalry Regiment and the Lakota Sioux. This event is also closely tied to the Ghost Dance, a spiritual movement led by Wovoka, which was practiced by many Native American tribes, including the Paiute and the Arapaho.

● Historical Context

The historical context of the book is set against the backdrop of the American West during the late 19th century, a time of significant change and upheaval for Native American tribes, including the Navajo, Apache, and Cherokee. The Indian Removal Act of 1830, signed into law by President Andrew Jackson, had already led to the forced relocation of many Native American tribes, including the Trail of Tears, which affected the Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw. The construction of the Transcontinental Railroad and the discovery of gold in California and Colorado further accelerated the westward expansion of the United States, leading to increased conflicts between Native American tribes and the United States Army, including the Sand Creek Massacre and the Battle of Little Bighorn. Key figures, such as Geronimo, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Red Cloud, played important roles in shaping the history of this period, which was also marked by the Dawes Act and the Indian Reorganization Act.

● Book Overview

The book provides a detailed account of the experiences of various Native American tribes, including the Oglala Sioux, Hunkpapa, and Miniconjou, and their interactions with the United States government, including the Treaty of Fort Laramie and the Treaty of Medicine Lodge. The book is organized into chapters that focus on specific events and periods, such as the Fetterman Fight, the Battle of Beecher Island, and the Wounded Knee Massacre. The author draws on a wide range of sources, including primary sources such as letters, diaries, and treaties, as well as secondary sources such as historical accounts and scholarly articles, written by historians like Francis Parkman and George Bancroft. The book also explores the roles of key figures, such as Kit Carson, George Armstrong Custer, and Nelson A. Miles, in shaping the history of the American West and the experiences of Native American tribes, including the Pueblo Revolt and the Taos Revolt.

● Author and Inspiration

Dee Brown was an American historian and author, best known for his work on the history of the American West and the experiences of Native American tribes, including the Iroquois and the Huron. Brown's inspiration for writing the book came from his own experiences growing up in Alberta, Canada, where he developed an interest in the history of the Native American tribes of the Great Plains, including the Blackfoot Confederacy and the Assiniboine. Brown's research for the book involved consulting a wide range of sources, including archives and libraries, such as the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration, and conducting interviews with Native American elders and historians, including Vine Deloria Jr. and Alvin M. Josephy Jr.. The book was also influenced by the work of other historians, such as Walter Prescott Webb and Frederick Jackson Turner, who wrote about the American frontier and the Westward expansion of the United States.

● Reception and Impact

The book received widespread critical acclaim upon its publication in 1970, with many reviewers praising its thorough research and engaging narrative, which explored the experiences of Native American tribes like the Crow Nation and the Shoshone. The book was also a commercial success, becoming a bestseller and winning several awards, including the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. The book's impact extended beyond the academic community, helping to raise awareness about the experiences of Native American tribes and the history of the American West, including the California Gold Rush and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The book has been widely adopted in universities and colleges as a textbook for courses on American history and Native American studies, and has been translated into numerous languages, including Spanish, French, and German. The book has also been influential in shaping the work of other historians, such as N. Scott Momaday and Leslie Marmon Silko, who have written about the experiences of Native American tribes.

● Historical Accuracy and Criticism

The book has been subject to some criticism and debate regarding its historical accuracy and interpretation, with some historians arguing that it presents a biased or one-sided view of the experiences of Native American tribes, including the Chippewa and the Ottawa. Some critics have also argued that the book oversimplifies the complex history of the American West and the experiences of Native American tribes, including the Ponca and the Omaha. However, the book has also been widely praised for its thorough research and engaging narrative, and is widely regarded as a classic work of American history and Native American studies, which explores the experiences of Native American tribes like the Kiowa and the Comanche. The book has been influential in shaping the field of Native American studies and has been widely adopted as a textbook for courses on American history and Native American studies, including at Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley.

● Legacy and Adaptations

The book has had a lasting impact on the field of American history and Native American studies, and has been widely influential in shaping the work of other historians and scholars, including Howard Zinn and Eric Foner. The book has also been adapted into a television film and a documentary series, which have helped to further raise awareness about the experiences of Native American tribes and the history of the American West, including the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the Mexican-American War. The book has also been widely translated and has been published in numerous editions, including a 30th anniversary edition and a 40th anniversary edition, which have included new introductions and forewords by historians like Richard White and Philip J. Deloria. The book's legacy continues to be felt today, with many scholars and historians continuing to draw on its research and insights to shape their own work on the history of the American West and the experiences of Native American tribes, including the Oneida and the Mohawk. Category:American history