Red Bird, Red Power: The Life and Legacy of Zitkala-Ša (Volume 67)

by Lewandowski

Red Bird, Red Power tells the story of one of the most influential—and controversial—American Indian activists of the twentieth century. Zitkala-Ša (1876–1938), also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, was a highly gifted writer, editor, and musician who dedicated her life to achieving justice for Native peoples. Here, Tadeusz Lewandowski offers the first full-scale biography of the woman whose passionate commitment to improving the lives of her people propelled her to the forefront of Progressive-era reform movements.

Lewandowski draws on a vast array of sources, including previously unpublished letters and diaries, to recount Zitkala-Ša’s unique life journey. Her story begins on the Dakota plains, where she was born to a Yankton Sioux mother and a white father. Zitkala-Ša, whose name translates as “Red Bird” in English, left home at age eight to attend a Quaker boarding school, eventually working as a teacher at Carlisle Indian Industrial School. By her early twenties, she was the toast of East Coast literary society. Her short stories for the Atlantic Monthly (1900) are, to this day, the focus of scholarly analysis and debate. In collaboration with William F. Hanson, she wrote the libretto and songs for the innovative Sun Dance Opera (1913).

And yet, as Lewandowski demonstrates, Zitkala-Ša’s successes could not fill the void of her lost cultural heritage, nor dampen her fury toward the Euro-American establishment that had robbed her people of their land. In 1926, she founded the National Council of American Indians with the aim of redressing American Indian grievances.

Zitkala-Ša’s complex identity has made her an intriguing—if elusive—subject for scholars. In Lewandowski’s sensitive interpretation, she emerges as a multifaceted human being whose work entailed constant negotiation. In the end, Lewandowski argues, Zitkala-Ša’s achievements distinguish her as a forerunner of the Red Power movement and an important agent of change.

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous, History, Biography

292 pages, Paperback

Published July 2, 2019

Reviews

[Francesca Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading this book, I was already somewhat familiar with many of the insults Native Americans have endured over the past four hundred years.

I had never heard of Zitkala-Ša. I am inspired by her fierce dedication to her people on so many levels.

One thing I learned from this book is that Native Americans were only were granted citizenship en masse in 1924. Even after that, many states laws disenfranchised many Native Americans. The violations are so numerous.

White greed has done so much damage to Native Americans. When will we stop crushing all those who stand in the way of profits?

[Zuly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Within the life story of this woman who sacrificed her very identity to be both Indian and White in order to attend to injustices committed by the US government and clearly planned from the start, we see the larger story of all Native Americans. It wasn't enough that White America took the vast land and parceled out tiny reservations here and there, but it then took advantage of the poverty it caused by buying back the land for next to nothing by way of patent fees, leaving many Native Americans without the means to survive or the citizenship to use US law for their protection. Zitkala-Sa spent her life trying to convey the story of NAs to a vast audience of influential entities--the government, the educated, and women's groups, hoping for human decency in action, but never finding enough. In one sense it is amazing this woman was able to accomplish so much, but in another, that her activism resulted in so little change.

A compelling bio that is sensitive to the complexities of this woman's life and work, written in an engaging style that honors as it explores her decisions, her reasoning, and her character. Her story gives a rare insider's view of the politics involved in the US treatment of Native Americans during this time period and across a vast geographical area of the US, adding a new depth to our understanding of the history.

[Will White · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent biography of a fascinating figure in American history. Zitkala-Sa was a person who lived with a number of contradictions — a devout Catholic who campaigned for Native culture, a classical musician who pursued her interest in European music while living on a reservation, a composer who wrote an opera about a Native American ritual that she sought to ban.

But throughout her life she worked tirelessly to make a better world for Native Americans in their own country. She wrote beautifully about the Native experience, publishing in The Atlantic over 100 years ago. Her life story serves as an excellent introduction to the Native American experience, and this book has a great mix of scholarly detail, narrative flow, and big-picture themes. Highly recommended.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great biography, especially considering the spare primary sources available - highly recommended for those interested in women's history or Native history. Coming directly from reading a 1000+-page biography of Harry Truman, the surface level of this author's available sources are honestly somewhat shocking and leave the impression of superficial analysis; however, when one considers the types of sources available to the author, these sources were likely the best available and demonstrate great biographical writing. One can only hope that in the future the general population, or at least those who are interested in related topics to this extraordinary woman's life, can dig deeper into source materials and provide enough interest for a second, more in-depth, biography that goes deeper than the typical casual reader might prefer, to satisfy a more scholarly audience and explore more deeply Zitkala-Sa's personality and contradictory choices as described in other reviews of this text. For example, there were only a few mentions of her prodigious musical ability, but I would have loved more analysis of what she would have been studying, listening to, and/or inspired by. Perhaps no sources were available, but similarly, a deeper analysis of Zitkala-Sa's religious beliefs, and how these may or may not have been adapted or exploited for publicity purposes, would have been fascinating and given more depth to an understanding of her personality and character.

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book because Zitkala-sa lived in my neighborhood and we were looking into a name for a park. I didn’t know much about her. This book took a hard look at her life, didn’t cut any corners to make things more comfortable for the reader, and made me absolutely fall in love with her. I finished book and started over again. Should be required reading for all Americans, but particularly for feminists.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was incredibly well researched and very scholarly, which unfortunately made it very dry reading. I ended up skimming the last half. But the life portrayed was truly remarkable, both triumphant for the efforts Zitkala-Sa made on behalf of Native Americans, and truy sad because of the course of her life experiences simply because she WAS Native American.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspiring woman!

[Meerab Amjad · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book, a bit difficult tho. Sometimes I had to read a page multiple times to fully comprehend it, however it was still a great book with a great message. I really enjoyed it.

[Prudence Debates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting account of an influential Native American woman who I'd never heard of.
Didn't realize there was as much challenge to the system going on in the late 1800s/early 1900s as this book exposes. Would recommend to anyone interested in the Native American struggle. It certainly does not paint a pretty picture of the white man and his "Christian" values. Very disturbing look at the ethnocentrism of our culture.