Indigenous People's Literature

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