This collection of first-hand accounts from Native people from across the southeast offers a rare glimpse into the powerful and diverse experiences of a population who have been historically overlooked or misrepresented in spite of the significant roles they played in the political, economic, and cultural development of the region. Comprised of personal reflections, oral histories, and speech transcripts, this volume contributes to larger conversations around issues of both southern and Indian identity, racialized politics (at the federal, state and inter-tribal levels), tribal nation-building ... More

This collection of first-hand accounts from Native people from across the southeast offers a rare glimpse into the powerful and diverse experiences of a population who have been historically overlooked or misrepresented in spite of the significant roles they played in the political, economic, and cultural development of the region. Comprised of personal reflections, oral histories, and speech transcripts, this volume contributes to larger conversations around issues of both southern and Indian identity, racialized politics (at the federal, state and inter-tribal levels), tribal nation-building, cultural preservation and restoration, education, health, and economic development. The collection contains over 40 entries that represent a diverse range of Indian communities from Virginia to Louisiana and are divided into four thematic chapters that are each introduced and connected to broader regional and national contexts. The contributors represent varying generations, professions, and tribal political statuses that—collectively—generate a better understanding of southeastern Indian leadership, resilience and perseverance in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.