Subject
Indians, Treatment of -- United States Books
Best books
Helen Hunt Jackson
A Century of Dishonor A Sketch of the United States Government's Dealings with Some of the Indian Tribes
"A Century of Dishonor" by Helen Hunt Jackson is a non-fiction book published in 1881 that chronicles the United States government's mistreatment of Native Americans. Inspired by Standing Bear's testimony about forced removal, Jackson documented systematic injustices through tribal histories, broken treaties, and massacres. She sent copies to every member of Congress at her own expense, hoping to awaken America's conscience to what she called "a century of dishonor" and spur meaningful reform of federal Indian policy.
Almon Wheeler Lauber
Indian slavery in colonial times within the present limits of the United States
"Indian slavery in colonial times within the present limits of the United States" by Almon Wheeler Lauber is a historical study written in the early 20th century. It examines the enslavement of Native Americans by Indigenous societies and by Spanish, French, and especially English colonists, outlining how captivity, trade, and law shaped the institution and how it waned. Drawing on scattered archival sources, the work surveys capture methods, labor uses, legal status, treatment, manumission, and the shift toward African slavery. The opening of this study states its aim: to recover the largely overlooked history of Indian slavery and to emphasize English colonial practice while setting it against Indian, Spanish, and French precedents. It outlines how many Native societies practiced forms of servitude—through gambling losses, famine sales, barter, raids, and war—how captives were used (domestic work, agriculture, hunting, fishing, mining), and how treatment ranged from adoption and kinship-based manumission to mutilation and execution, with women and councils often deciding captives’ fate. It then shows Spaniards embedding enslavement in exploration and conquest, using captives as guides, porters, cooks, and concubines; notes episodic kindness amid coercion; describes a largely ineffective royal effort to end the practice; and portrays mission and presidio systems as de facto coerced labor. Finally, it sketches French practice: initially vague legality later recognized, public indifference, and reliance on war captives, kidnapping, trade by coureurs de bois (including sales to English markets), gifts from allied chiefs, and inheritance through enslaved mothers, with slaves serving as guides, interpreters, and domestics.
Simon Pokagon
The Red Man's Rebuke
"The Red Man's Rebuke" by Simon Pokagon is a compelling historical account written in the late 19th century. This work serves as a poignant manifesto that articulates the grievances of the Native American people, specifically the Pottawattamie tribe, against the injustices they faced due to colonization and the loss of their lands and way of life. Through passionate language and vivid imagery, Pokagon critiques the colonial mindset of the "pale-faced" settlers and their destructive impact on the native populace and environment. In this evocative text, Pokagon underscores the tragedy of Native American experience following European settlement. He laments the destruction of their homes, culture, and natural resources, expressing deep sorrow for the loss of a harmonious existence. The narrative intertwines personal and collective suffering, drawing attention to the betrayals perpetrated against indigenous peoples—such as the enforcement of broken treaties and the introduction of devastating substances like alcohol. The book serves both as a historical reflection and a heartfelt appeal for understanding and justice, presenting a unifying voice that seeks to reclaim the dignity and rights of the Red Man amid overwhelming adversity.
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