Wounded Knee Massacre

Gr 7 Up—Following a brief introduction and a "Chronology of Native American-U.S. Government Relations, 1804—1891," this concise, chronologically arranged text places the massacre in context by concisely examining the "seeds of the conflict" into the late 1860s; the fallout from Little Big Horn; the reemergence of the Ghost Dance; and, ultimately, the worst slaughter of Native men, women, and children in American history. Gitlin gets behind the myth on both sides and constructs a narrative that presents the facts of the tragedy. Along the way, readers are introduced to compelling figures including Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse, all charismatic leaders of the Plains Indians who attempted to maintain cultural and political independence from white settlers and the U.S. government. Substantial back matter includes lucid biographies of key figures and 13 primary documents, including Red Cloud's 1870 "Cooper Institute Speech" in New York City, Paiute medicine man Wovoka's account of the Ghost Dance, and an L. Frank Baum's racist editorial for the Aberdeen Saturday Pioneer. An annotated bibliography of books, magazine and newspaper articles, and websites is included.—Brian Odom, Pelham Public Library, AL