Indians 101: Any Questions?

( – promoted by navajo)

Indians 101 is a series that explores American Indian histories, cultures, and current concerns. When I do public presentations about American Indians, I usually ask for questions from the audience. This diary is an open thread for your questions about American Indians.  

In answering questions about American Indians, there are a few general reference books that can be used to answer questions. I have listed a few of these below.

For questions about Indian biography, Who Was Who in Native American History: Indians and Non-Indians From Early Contacts Through 1900 by Carl Waldman is a good source.

For general questions about tribes and tribal cultures, Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes by Carl Waldman provides a good overview.

For questions about American Indian law, there are a number of good sources: American Indian Sovereignty and the U.S. Supreme Court: The Masking of Justice by David Wilkins; American Indians, Time, and the Law: Native Societies in a Modern Constitutional Democracy by Charles Wilkinson; Blood Struggle: The Rise of Modern Indian Nations by Charles Wilkinson.

With regard to American Indian art, Native Arts of North America by Christian Feest is an outstanding source.

With regard to the archaeology of North America, Brian Fagan’s Ancient North America: The Archaeology of a Continent is a good source.

This is an open thread to answer your questions. Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments section. We will answer them as best we can.