Black Snake: Standing Rock, the Dakota Access Pipeline, and Environmental Justice

by Katherine Wiltenburg Todrys

The controversial Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) made headlines around the world in 2016. Supporters called the pipeline key to safely transporting American oil from the Bakken oil fields of the northern plains to markets nationwide, essential to both national security and prosperity. Native activists named it the “black snake,” referring to an ancient prophecy about a terrible snake that would one day devour the earth. Activists rallied near the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota for months in opposition to DAPL, winning an unprecedented but temporary victory before the federal government ultimately permitted the pipeline. Oil began flowing on June 1, 2017.

The water protector camps drew global support and united more than three hundred tribes in perhaps the largest Native alliance in U.S. history. While it faced violent opposition, the peaceful movement against DAPL has become one of the most crucial human rights movements of our time.

Black Snake is the story of four leaders—LaDonna Allard, Jasilyn Charger, Lisa DeVille, and Kandi White—and their fight against the pipeline. It is the story of Native nations combating environmental injustice and longtime discrimination and rebuilding their communities. It is the story of a new generation of environmental activists, galvanized at Standing Rock, becoming the protectors of America’s natural resources.

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous, History, Social Justice, Native American, Audiobook, Politics

345 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2021

Reviews

[Megan Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Human Rights Lawyer, Katherine Wiltenburg Todrys, skillfully weaves a powerful story of the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) and the bravery of protestors at Standing Rock. Black Snake is told through the POV of four remarkable indigenous women who were at the front lines; and their lived experiences puts the reader through a gamut of emotions from anger and shock to heartbreaking sadness to hope and determination. I guarantee this book has inspired a new wave of activists and will continue to inspire for years to come.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Standing Rock Sioux and the Dakota Access Pipeline battle is clearly laid out in the pages of this book. The surveillance of activists by TigerSwan, a private security company in the employ of ETP, the oil company, was reprehensible. Militarized police forces faced off against activists. If you are interested in social justice or environmental justice, this is a book you should read. It follows four of the female leaders of the campaign against the oil company and illuminates the role youth activists played as water protectors.

[Candace O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful, eye-opening account of the fight that is currently underway, on several Sioux reservations in the upper Midwest, against pipelines and fracking that threaten the Natives' land and their way of life. The author of this well-researched book is a human rights lawyer with a strong interest in social and environmental justice, and she tells the story through the eyes of four strong, exciting women who have led this David-and-Goliath fight with rapacious oil companies. I highly recommend this book.

[Jordan McPeek · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not the definitive history of the Standing Rock protest but it's an important and interesting contribution to the activist view of it all.

Not a lot of attempt to tell the pipeline supporter or business side of it. Neither does it try to get to bottom of some things. For instance, on the subject of weapons in the camp, it's moreless left at "cops said we did, we say we didn't". That's not to say it's a bad book. No, that stuff just isn't within the scope or point of the book, so don't read it expecting to see it.

But what it does do very well is tell the story of key organizers, their motivations and experiences, their personal challenges and doubts. Telling those stories over the chronology of events allows the reader to feel the successes and setbacks of an activist.

The prominence of prophecy and prayer in providing some inner strength was interesting. Evidently quite meaningful and a strong motivator for some. Yet it struck me that a good-sized segment of pipeline supporters would also claim God's will in exploiting the bounty of the earth by building the pipeline, or something like that. So there lies the problem of using a religious frame to claim the righteousness of your cause: opponents will simply use a different frame.

As an Indigenous person, another thing I appreciated is the honesty in portraying the Indigenous world's approach to fossil fuels as multifaceted and conflicted. Yes, Indigenous folk were protesters as well as spies and informants. Yes, these issues can divide Indigenous families and communities. Yes, some Indigenous politicians can be bought like any other politician. Yes, even honest politicians and community members can struggle with the question of adapt vs fight, and differ on tactics. Yes, other factors and consequences are at play even though they're seemingly unrelated to water supply (e.g. casino revenue crashed, which impacted ability to deliver other basic services on reservation). All of these complexities need to be acknowledged in order to deal with them.

Overall, a very worthwhile read that emphasizes the Indigenous voice on a topic that is much bigger than the Indigenous world but disproportionately impacts it.

I never quite got used to the audiobook performer. Most of the time, I get used to a performer's style early on. This time I kept noticing the choppy delivery. It's clear and enunciated well. But each sentence is almost performed on its own with the cadence rising and falling at the end. It's distracting and interrupts the flow.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the tale of Native Americans who were trying to keep their water clean so that they could survive. For years, the U.S. government had made promises, in writing, treaties, that they continuously broke. The government promised land to the tribes, only to cancel that promise/treaty when gold or oil was discovered on their land. Dakota Access Pipeline wanted to build a pipeline just north of Bismark, N. Dakota. However, the residents there cried out that it would compromise and taint their water supply, so it was moved further south to an area the was very close to the water supply of Standing Rock Reservation. These people had no money to defend themselves against a large and powerful oil company. They were told it was safe, it was designed "not" to leak. In its own annual report, ETP (Energy Transfer Partners), the company building the pipeline, acknowledged that "Contamination resulting from releases of crude oil...is not unusual within the petroleum pipeline industry and had resulted in impact to the environment, including soil and groundwater." In Sept. 2013, an area just off Fort Berthold Reservation, a spill occurred that totaled 835,200 gallons. In the year ending May 1, 2017, North Dakota's oil and gas industry reported 745 oil spills, one every 11 hrs. 45 minutes. Clean up of an oil spill can take years, sometimes never putting the earth back the way it was. Why should you care what happens to these people, their land, their water, their situation? Because their water, the Missouri river, is our water, their situation, their land could be your land. Oil pipelines crisscross the U.S. There are 210 pipeline systems that have a total, to date, of 305,000 miles of oil carrying pipes. These pipes are not impervious to failure. Some fail because of earthquakes, corrosion or faulty workmanship. Imagine if one of those pipelines failed and covered your field, your parks, your backyard with 20 gallons or 100 gallons or thousands of gallons of crude oil. I urge everyone to read this book. As it says on the back cover, "It is a book that should be on reading list across the United States and beyond." This is not a book to enjoy. This is a book to embrace, to take in, bit by bit, to incorporate it into your very being.

[Alison Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Snake is powerfully and effectively written. Katherine Todyrs skillfully takes the reader through a history of the Native American experience in America, while focusing directly on the contemporary experiences of four remarkable, powerful women leading their communities in environmental activism. The story is at once poignant, heartrending and hopeful and triumphant. It is difficult to put down and will move the average reader through a range of emotions. It is likely to inspire awareness and further action for many readers.

[Julie Hiatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much about the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline from this extremely well-researched book, and I appreciated how the story was told through the voices of four Native women who led the fight. It was humbling to get a sense of the leadership, perseverance, and dedication of LaDonna, Jasilyn, Lisa, and Kandi. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Native rights, activism, environmental justice, and the truly awe-inspiring Standing Rock protest.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quiet an interesting account of Standing Rock and the Dakota pipeline. Very detailed, though I always feel it is important to read about important Indigenious events from their own perspective. Fortunately with Standing Rock I have been able to do this and this book is an important addition to this narrative.

[Whatcha Reading Heather? · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is a doozy. Super informative regarding everything with Standing Rock, while also extremely disheartening regarding how fucked up the American government is. The only reason why this isn’t a 5 star rating for me personally is because I feel like it would have been a really dry read in tangible form, but as an audiobook I felt like I was listening to a podcast.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great activist Indigenous book.

It was another American read, but it had lots of good info still on Indigenous resistance.

Had some really powerful moments and would recommend it.

4.1/5

[Zahnii (Suzanne) Artis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt at times hard to follow maybe because it’s true to life and the whole experience was messy and difficult with lots of twists and turns and bumps. Most surprising was the pattern of suicidality for the young protesters. Liked learning about this important work!

[Benja · Rating 5 out of 5]

So important that these stories are documented, spread and not forgotten. Stories like #NoDAPL need to be added to historical canon AND remembered in present day..

[Sue T]

I really really want to be able to read this book. I just find it a bit boring, textbooky.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Upon suffering beyond suffering, the Red Nation will rise again and it shall be a blessing for a sick world.”

[Kara-Lyn Moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read. It is so well written and full of facts and information while telling the story of 4 amazing women leaders. I recommend to everyone I know.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely recommend this read.

[Autumn Kearney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well-researched and contains footnotes and references. That means that the information contained within is reliable and verifiable. It is not just the author's opinions.