Brave Are My People: Indian Heroes Not Forgotten

Vine Deloria's foreword describes author Frank Waters as "the premiere writer of the American West." In this testimonial to the bravery of great Native American heroes, Waters combines biography, history, and historical photographs and artwork to portray the lives of such leaders as Crazy Horse, Powhatan, Tecumseh, Black Hawk, Chief Joseph, Osceola, and Chief Seattle, among others.

Waters's profiles include a dramatic depiction of the major turning points in each man's life and leadership. Iroquois Deganawidah, for example (also known as the Peacemaker), miraculously survived many attempts on his life in order to bring about his lifelong dream of peace and confederation among the eight Iroquois tribes. The League of Iroquois that the Peacemaker implemented wrote a constitution which was believed to have influenced the Constitution of the United States of America. Also included in this volume of essays are the stirring speeches of Chief Joseph surrendering at Bear Paw Mountain and Chief Seattle at the signing of the Port Elliot Treaty, wherein the Duwamish tribe was forced to give up its land at Puget Sound. Indians were later banned from the city that bore the chief's name. --Susan Swartwout