Every November, we honor the talent, wisdom, and histories of the Indigenous peoples of the United States. Featuring poetry, memoirs, fiction, and more, the selections in this Collection highlight the range of voices, experiences, and literary contributions of Indigenous writers.
Publication year 1881
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Identity: Indigenous
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Colonial America, Grief / Death, Military / War, Politics / Government, Social Justice, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Natural World: Environment, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community
Tags Business / Economics, History: World, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Education, Education, Science / Nature
A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things: A Guide to Capitalism, Nature, and the Future of the Planet (2017) is a nonfiction book written by Raj Patel, a political economist and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, also known for Stuffed and Starved (2007), and Jason W. Moore, an environmental historian and associate professor at Binghamton University. The authors’ expertise in political economy and environmental history provides a unique perspective on... Read A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things Summary
Publication year 1921
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Gender
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
Zitkála-Šá’s 1921 book American Indian Stories gathers autobiographical chapters, historical fiction stories, and essays focused on the experiences of the Dakota Sioux and interactions between American Indians and White citizens of the United States. Zitkála-Šá’s works convey a strong sense of independence, pride in Sioux culture, and indignation at injustices committed against American Indians. This study guide references the 2019 Modern Library (Penguin Random House) edition of American Indian Stories.SummaryThe collection begins with an autobiographical... Read American Indian Stories Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Society: Colonialism
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Mental Illness, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2017
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Lyric Poem, History: U.S., American Literature, Food, Race / Racism, History: World
Joy Harjo is a seminal voice in the US poetry canon, and she has long been an advocate for Native American women in the literary world. Her work has merited tremendous acclaim, such as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas, the Josephine Miles Poetry Award, the Wallace Stevens Award from the Academy of American Poets, the William Carlos Williams Award from the Poetry Society of America, and the American... Read An American Sunrise Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Education, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Community, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Education, Military / War, Anthropology, Colonial America, Class, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Colonialism
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Military / War, American Revolution, Colonial America, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Education, Education, History: World
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People is a 2019 adaptation of Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz’s 2015 nonfiction book. Jean Mendoza and Debbie Reese adapted the material for middle-grade audiences. The original publication received the American Book Award, and this version is a 2020 American Indian Youth Literature Young Adult Honor Book with recognition from the National Council for the Social Studies and the Children’s Book Council. This book tells the perspective of... Read An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction
Antelope Woman is a novel by Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) author Louise Erdrich. First published in 1998 as The Antelope Wife, Erdrich revised and updated the text in 2012 and re-issued it, adding new content, storylines, and chapters. Like much of Erdrich’s other work, the novel is a multi-generational story of both Indigenous and white families set in and around traditional Ojibwe lands in North Dakota and Minnesota. Erdrich is known for her use of magical realism... Read Antelope Woman Summary
Publication year 2001
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Incarceration, Education, Race / Racism, Education, Social Justice, Biography
Jimmy Santiago Baca, born in 1952, is an American poet and author of A Place to Stand. Poems by Baca include “Immigrants in Our Own Land” (1979) and “Who Understands Me but Me” (1979). This memoir begins with Baca’s early years at home with his drunken, abusive father and his unhappy mother. Baca loves his father, who is continually in and out of jail, but Baca’s mother abandons her three children to marry a man... Read A Place to Stand Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Memoir in Verse, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, LGBTQ, Biography
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Climate, Identity: Language, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, LGBTQ
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, New Adult
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Magical Realism
Publication year 2012
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery, Society: Nation, Society: Community
Tags History: U.S., Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Depression / Suicide, Education, History: The Americas, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1972
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Society: Colonialism
Tags Heinemann African Writers, African Literature
Publication year 1932
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Tags History: U.S., Philosophy, Philosophy, History: World, Biography, Religion / Spirituality
Black Elk Speaks (1932) is a book written by John G. Neihardt that relates the life of Black Elk, a member of the Ogalala band of the Lakota Native Americans. Though Neihardt is the book’s author, the book is based on a conversation between Black Elk and Neihardt and is presented as a transcript of Black Elk’s words, though Neihardt made some edits to the transcript. The book follows Black Elk from his boyhood to... Read Black Elk Speaks Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction