Suggested Resources

Mission to North America (MNA) recommends the following books and articles for their insight into Native American history and culture. This recommendation does not imply agreement with or endorsement of the practices or beliefs of the authors.

Click here for a printable PDF of this list.

Books

1491 New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus by Charles C. Mann

500 Nations by Alvin M. Josephy,Jr (Illustrated History of North American Indians)

American: The Life Story of a Great Indian by Frank B. Linderman (Written in 1930—Chief Plenty-coups of

the Crow nation tells his story to Linderman)

Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux by Black Elk, John G. Neihardt

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown

Chief Joseph and the Flight of the Nez Perce by Kent Nerburn

Chief Joseph by Bill Dugan

Children of the Indian Boarding Schools by Holly Littlefield (for children, very informative)

Converting the West—a Biography of Narcissa Whitman by Julie Roy Jeffrey

Custer Died for Your Sins by Vine Deloria, Jr.

Dances With Wolves, by Michael Blake (fiction)

Dull Knives of Pine Ridge by Joe Starita

Education for Extinction (American Indians and the Boarding School Experience 1875-1928) by David

Wallace Adams

Foreign to Familiar, A Guide to Understanding Hot and Cold Climate Cultures, by Sarah A. Lanier

God is Red by Vine Deloria, Jr.

God’s Warrior by Alta Tanis

Grieving Indian by Arthur H. with George McPeek

If Only the Rod Had Been Round by Bridget Harris Volden, As told to Ruth Thielke

James Mooney’s History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee by James Mooney

Killing Custer by James Welch with Paul Stekler

Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog (adult reading)

Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper (fiction)

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen

Mourning Dove, A Salishan Autobigraphy edited by Jay Miller

Native Roots, How The Indians Enriched America Jack Weatherford

Native American, A History in Pictures, by Arlene Hirschfelder (Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc)

Neither Wolf Nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder by Kent Nerburn

On the Rez by Ian Frazer

One Church Many Tribes by Richard Twiss

Our Stories Remember by Joseph Bruchac

Out of Bondage: Finding the Path out of Indian Religion and Into the Kingdom of God, by Adolphus

Kootenay

Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie

Rez Road Follies by Jim Northrup

The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Sherman Alexie

The Education of Little Tree by Forest Carter (fiction)

The Wisdom of the Native Americans, edited by Kent Nerburn

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Through Indian Eyes, the Untold Story of Native American Peoples Reader’s Digest Association, Inc

Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation by John Ehle

What Every Church Member Should Know about Poverty by Bill Ehlig & Ruby K. Payne, Phd.

When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert

Whiteman’s Gospel by Craig Stephen Smith

Wolf At Twlight by Kent Nerburn

MOVIES 

Education of Little Tree (excellent family movie)

Smoke Signals (for adult viewing—movie made by Native Americans about Native Americans.  Will give you insight into how the history of Native America affects the modern Indian’s struggles.)

Last of the Mohicans (There are many similarities in the traditional Cherokee culture and the Mohicans.  This film was made near Cherokee and many of the cast members were Cherokee.)

Into the West (Six hours, Produced by Stephen Spielberg) Excellent for families, some violence but made to be used in schools. Drama/documentary, historically accurate.

The Appalachians (www.wnpt.net/appalachians) Excellent for families.  Insightful into Native American and mountain culture.

500 Nations Excellent!!!  Book also available—see above.

“500 Nations is an eight-part documentary that explores the history of the indigenous peoples of North and Central America, from pre-Colombian times through the period of European contact and colonization, to the end of the 19th century and the subjugation of the Plains Indians of North America. 500 Nations utilizes historical texts, eyewitness accounts, pictorial sources and computer graphic reconstructions to explore the magnificent civilizations which flourished prior to contact with Western civilization, and to tell the dramatic and tragic story of the Native American nations' desperate attempts to retain their way of life against overwhelming odds.”

http://www.500nations.tv/home.htm

We Shall Remain, America Through Native Eyes, PBS Home Video 5-part series, Excellent

DRAMA

“Spirit—the Seventh Fire takes you on a journey of self-discovery through live concert, epic film and spectacular Native American dance.  Spirit travels with its own intimate, state-of-the-art climate-controlled theater equipped with comfortable seating, surround sound, and a unique panoramic projection system.  The live band, Native dancers in full regalia, and vista-screen movie interact in a way that bring the adventure of reconnection to our First Nations not just to life, but into your life.  Spirit—the Seventh Fire is truly unique and immersive experience not to be missed.”

http://www.spirit7thfire.com/                 Available now on DVD

LIST OF FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES

http://500nations.com/500_Tribes.asp

Tribes by State:  http://500nations.com/tribes/Tribes_States.asp

http://500nations.com/500_Tribes.asp

Department of the Interior List:     http://www.census.gov/pubinfo/www/FRN02.pdf

Alphabetical list of Tribes in Lower 48 and Alaska:   http://www.healing-arts.org/tribes.htm