Native Languages of the Americas: American Indian Biography and Autobiography
This page is our collection of links to biographies and autobiographies of Native American people.
If you would like to recommend a Native American biography for this page, please
contact us telling us why.
Amazon.com gives us a gift certificate to use for the Native Languages of the Americas library every
time someone buys a book through one of these links, so if you find one you want to buy, please do
consider buying it during the same session so we get credit for it. Thanks, and happy reading!
The Names:
Memoirs of Pulitzer Prize-winning Kiowa author N. Scott Momaday.
Lakota Woman:
Mary Brave Bird (Crow Dog)'s autobiographical history of the American Indian Movement.
Prison Writings: My Life is My Sun Dance:In the Spirit of Crazy Horse:Trial of Leonard Peltier:
Books about AIM activist and political prisoner Leonard Peltier. "Prison Writings" is by Leonard himself, and
he makes his own case eloquently. "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse" is famous for the FBI's bizarre attempts to stop
its publication (the courts didn't let them.) Neither of us has read the third one.
Life and Death of Anna Mae Acquash:
Book about slain AIM activist Anna Mae Aquash.
Where White Men Fear To Tread:
Controversial Lakota activist Russell Means' autobiography and history of the American Indian Movement.
My Name Is Sepeetza:Out of the Depths:
Autobiographies of two survivors of Indian residential schools.
Black Hawk:
Autobiography of 19th-century Sauk Chief Black Hawk. This was narrated through a string of translators, so
it's not 100% authentic as an autobiography, but Black Hawk's story is still compelling.
War Under Heaven:Pontiac and the Indian Uprising:Haughty Conquerors:The Conspiracy of Pontiac:
Good books about Chief Pontiac and the Pontiac Rebellion.
Halfbreed:
Wrenching autobiography of Metis writer Maria Campbell.
I Am Woman:
Literary autobiography of Metis author Lee Maracle.
Of Earth and Elders: Visions and Voices from Native America:
Fascinating mosaic of interviews, essays, poems, and other musings from dozens of contemporary Indians.
Charcoal's World:
Interesting historical examination of a Blackfoot man's clash with white culture and the law
Grey Owl: The Mystery of Archie Belaney:
Poetic biography of the Canadian environmentalist married to a Cree woman, by Ojibwe author Armand Garnet Ruffo.
Jim Thorpe: 20th-Century Jock:
Good biography of the celebrated athlete, deals with the complexity of his racial status as well as his athletics.
Forest Warrior:
Kids' biography of Ottawa Chief Pontiac.
Maria Tallchief:
Biography of Maria Tallchief, the Osage ballerina.
Index of Indian cultures
The Names:
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse: 
