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Standing Bear is a Person: The True Story of a Native American's Quest for Justice
Author(s): Stephen Dando-Collins (Author)
- Publisher: Da Capo Press Inc
- Publication Date: 23 Nov. 2004
- Edition: First Edition
- Language: English
- Print length: 272 pages
- ISBN-10: 030681370X
- ISBN-13: 9780306813702
Book Description
The compelling story of the most important Indian rights case in US history and the fascinating characters who played a part in this dramatic saga in the Old West. In 1877, Standing Bear and his Indian people, the Ponca, were forcibly removed from their land in northern Nebraska. In defiance, Standing Bear sued in US District Court for the right to return home. In a landmark case, the judge, for the first time in US history, recognized Native American rights-acknowledging that “Standing Bear is a person”-and ruled in favor of Standing Bear. Standing Bear Is a Person is the fascinating behind-the-scenes story of that landmark 1879 court case, and the subsequent reverberations of the judge’s ruling across nineteenth-century America. It is also a story filled with memorable characters typical of the Old West-the crusty and wise Indian chief, Standing Bear, the Army Indian-fighting general who became a strong Indian supporter, the crusading newspaper editor who championed Standing Bear’s cause, and the “most beautiful Indian maiden of her time,” Bright Eyes, who became Standing Bear’s national spokesperson. At a time when America was obsessed with winning the West, no matter what, this is an intensely human story and a small victory for compassion. It is also the chronicle of an American tragedy: Standing Bear won his case, but the court’s decision that should have changed everything, in the end, changed very little for America’s Indians.
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Stephen Dando-Collins is an Australian-born researcher, editor, and author. He has written four books, including the acclaimed Caesar’s Legion.
