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Notable Native People: 50 Indigenous Leaders, Dreamers, and Changemakers from Past and Present
An illustrated book profiling 50 notable American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian people, from NBA star Kyrie Irving of the Standing Rock Lakota to Wilma Mankiller, the first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Celebrate the lives, stories, and contributions of Indigenous artists, activists, scientists, athletes, and other changemakers in this illustrated collection. From luminaries of the past, like nineteenth-century sculptor Edmonia Lewis--the first Black and Native American female artist to achieve international fame--to contemporary figures like linguist jessie little doe baird, who revived the Wampanoag language, Notable Native People highlights the vital impact Indigenous dreamers and leaders have made on the world.
This collection also offers primers on important Indigenous issues, from the legacy of colonialism and cultural appropriation to food sovereignty, land and water rights, and more.
Celebrate the lives, stories, and contributions of Indigenous artists, activists, scientists, athletes, and other changemakers in this illustrated collection. From luminaries of the past, like nineteenth-century sculptor Edmonia Lewis--the first Black and Native American female artist to achieve international fame--to contemporary figures like linguist jessie little doe baird, who revived the Wampanoag language, Notable Native People highlights the vital impact Indigenous dreamers and leaders have made on the world.
This collection also offers primers on important Indigenous issues, from the legacy of colonialism and cultural appropriation to food sovereignty, land and water rights, and more.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published October 19, 2021
85 people are currently reading
5556 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
May 19, 2022
A must-read for everyone, especially for people who live in the United States. Notable Native People covers 50 indigenous people who have changed the world and who strive to keep their culture thriving. This book covers topics like Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, environmental issues, colonization, and language revitalization. All of the topics discussed in this book are immensely important and it will allow readers to gain a deeper understanding of issues that indigenous communities face.
I loved how this book discussed gender, especially in regard to the Two-Spirit and Māhū people. The idea of two genders was something that was brought over with colonization. Many indigenous cultures have had more than two genders for all of their recorded history. It was only when European settlers came over that the idea of only two genders was forced onto people. It’s important to learn about these other genders and understand how the idea of gender was negatively impacted by colonization. If you don’t have the time to read this book, I highly recommend watching the documentary called “A Place in the Middle.” It’ll open your eyes and broaden your understanding of gender.
I also really appreciated how this book covered both current indigenous people and indigenous people from the past. Indigenous people never disappeared yet schools tend to teach about indigenous people as if they were just in the past. This book introduced me to tons of new people that I’ve never heard about before and I can’t wait to learn more about the people mentioned in this book.
Read this book if you get the chance. Everyone can learn something from this book and it’s a great starting place to learn about indigenous people who have changed the world.
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway but that in no way impacts my review.
I loved how this book discussed gender, especially in regard to the Two-Spirit and Māhū people. The idea of two genders was something that was brought over with colonization. Many indigenous cultures have had more than two genders for all of their recorded history. It was only when European settlers came over that the idea of only two genders was forced onto people. It’s important to learn about these other genders and understand how the idea of gender was negatively impacted by colonization. If you don’t have the time to read this book, I highly recommend watching the documentary called “A Place in the Middle.” It’ll open your eyes and broaden your understanding of gender.
I also really appreciated how this book covered both current indigenous people and indigenous people from the past. Indigenous people never disappeared yet schools tend to teach about indigenous people as if they were just in the past. This book introduced me to tons of new people that I’ve never heard about before and I can’t wait to learn more about the people mentioned in this book.
Read this book if you get the chance. Everyone can learn something from this book and it’s a great starting place to learn about indigenous people who have changed the world.
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway but that in no way impacts my review.
February 19, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
Notable Native People is a wonderfully put-together book about 50 Indigenous leaders, both part and present, who have made an impact on the world we live in and are living in today.
This book was so interesting, and I loved the illustrations for each person written about. Not only is this book fantastic to bring awareness of different cultures, but I also can't recall seeing a book like this before, which is very important! Each person in this book (male and female) is so inspiring and I loved hearing about so many different things I knew nothing about. This would make a perfect book for any school library shelf. Learning, educating and keeping cultures alive today is so important and should be celebrated and learned about by all and this is a great place to start!
Notable Native People is a wonderfully put-together book about 50 Indigenous leaders, both part and present, who have made an impact on the world we live in and are living in today.
This book was so interesting, and I loved the illustrations for each person written about. Not only is this book fantastic to bring awareness of different cultures, but I also can't recall seeing a book like this before, which is very important! Each person in this book (male and female) is so inspiring and I loved hearing about so many different things I knew nothing about. This would make a perfect book for any school library shelf. Learning, educating and keeping cultures alive today is so important and should be celebrated and learned about by all and this is a great place to start!
May 25, 2021
If the only native Americans you are aware of are Sitting Bull and Pocahontas, then you really need to read this book.
This is a wonderful collection of one page bios of Indigenous people of the United States (Canada and Mexico are left out, though, Turtle Island was really all of North America, but that's ok)
An amazing mix of men and women, past and present, from Sequoyah, who created Cherokee written script, to Sharice Davids, of the Ho-Chunk people, who is a member of congress, from Kansas.
This book also include people from Alaska as well as Hawaii. And because 50 is not enough, at the end of the book others are mentioned that the reader will hopefully look up. Interspersed between all of this are notes on how representation matters, and how we live on stolen land.
Really good collection, and the author is a member of the Cherokee Nation.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This is a wonderful collection of one page bios of Indigenous people of the United States (Canada and Mexico are left out, though, Turtle Island was really all of North America, but that's ok)
An amazing mix of men and women, past and present, from Sequoyah, who created Cherokee written script, to Sharice Davids, of the Ho-Chunk people, who is a member of congress, from Kansas.
This book also include people from Alaska as well as Hawaii. And because 50 is not enough, at the end of the book others are mentioned that the reader will hopefully look up. Interspersed between all of this are notes on how representation matters, and how we live on stolen land.
Really good collection, and the author is a member of the Cherokee Nation.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
September 29, 2021
I don’t see many books spotlighting Native American people particularly contemporary Native American movers and shakers so this book caught my eye right away. I appreciated that the book was written by a Cherokee woman who curated a thoughtful, eclectic group from a wide spectrum of backgrounds, tribal and social identities from among the 574 federally recognized American tribal nations and some non-recognized tribes including the most recent Kanaka Maoli in Hawaiian Islands and Alaska Natives when their territories were annexed. Each bio identifies the person’s name, tribe by the recognized designation or what the tribe calls themselves, like Kanaka Maoli, rather than past common tribe names, Hawaiian, and their contribution to society. I recognized a few, but was excited to learn about the many more who were chosen for the book.
This was a celebration of these groundbreaking lives, but also a good education tool. The author presented a series of short bio pieces accompanied by a pictorial graphic of each and then placed informational bits between the sets of bios. Indigenous, external and settler colonialism, cultural appropriation, and issues such as climate changed, sacred sites, missing and murdered women at higher rate than other ethnic groups and more are addressed.
Some of the contributions of these spotlighted people were intriguing like ‘seed keeper’ for indigenous foods and farmers who work to restore the indigenous growing methods, ‘culture keeper’, and language revitalization (linguistics who researched and restored the languages to their tribes).
All in all, I was glad to get to know a bit about these amazing individuals from the past and present who worked to preserve their culture and even their group tribal identity, to learn about what they faced historically and now, and to better grasp where they are coming. I thought this short book did a fab job of conveying all this from the easy-read style to the heart the author showed in introducing the world to her people. I will definitely be hunting down the author’s posts and check out her pod cast work for more.
I rec’d an eARC of the book to read in exchange for an honest review.
This was a celebration of these groundbreaking lives, but also a good education tool. The author presented a series of short bio pieces accompanied by a pictorial graphic of each and then placed informational bits between the sets of bios. Indigenous, external and settler colonialism, cultural appropriation, and issues such as climate changed, sacred sites, missing and murdered women at higher rate than other ethnic groups and more are addressed.
Some of the contributions of these spotlighted people were intriguing like ‘seed keeper’ for indigenous foods and farmers who work to restore the indigenous growing methods, ‘culture keeper’, and language revitalization (linguistics who researched and restored the languages to their tribes).
All in all, I was glad to get to know a bit about these amazing individuals from the past and present who worked to preserve their culture and even their group tribal identity, to learn about what they faced historically and now, and to better grasp where they are coming. I thought this short book did a fab job of conveying all this from the easy-read style to the heart the author showed in introducing the world to her people. I will definitely be hunting down the author’s posts and check out her pod cast work for more.
I rec’d an eARC of the book to read in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2021
An excellent look at modern Native American contributors to our world. This culture is seldom highlighted for it's modern influences and there are many. It was a fascinating read to see these brilliant peoples work and how it's changing and building our world better. I couldn't recommend this enough. History is often written only on the past this is a history in the making read.
November 3, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. So much information about famous Indigenous people that make our world a better place. Some of the people I knew of, but others I didn't. So very interesting to learn about people I would have never known about if I hasn't read this book. It make me feel proud of these intelligent people who made something special out of their lives and shared it with the world.
Notable Native People by Adrienne Keene is an excellent resource for those wanting to learn more about the contributions of Indigenous People. Each mini biography is accompanied by an artistic portrait to bring the person to life.
I highly recommend. Would make a great book club discussion.
Notable Native People by Adrienne Keene is an excellent resource for those wanting to learn more about the contributions of Indigenous People. Each mini biography is accompanied by an artistic portrait to bring the person to life.
I highly recommend. Would make a great book club discussion.
November 24, 2021
Notable Native People is a great introduction to the lives and work of 50 different Indigenous people. The collection of people who were profiled was very diverse, covering people from the past and present, different groups and backgrounds, and different genders and sexualities.
I definitely recommend checking this book out. It’s a quick read as the profiles are all just one page each with a few short essays on different topics throughout. And the artwork that accompanies the different profiles and essays is all extremely beautiful.
I definitely recommend checking this book out. It’s a quick read as the profiles are all just one page each with a few short essays on different topics throughout. And the artwork that accompanies the different profiles and essays is all extremely beautiful.
January 16, 2024
NASA engineer, NBA #1 draft pick, Rapper/Community Advocate, Linguist, Culture Keeper, Two Spirit, Poet, Scholar, Activist, Food Sovereignty Advocate. These 50 people are part of the 574 federally recognized American Indian tribal nations, which includes the Hawaiian Kanaka Maoli and Alaskan Indigenous.
Each person gets the left colorful graphic page as their portrait. And the right page is a nice biography of this diverse group.
This is an inspiring group of people. They excel in the many avenues that all Americans also aspire to do well in. The indigenous people had to deal with far too many negative stereotypes in antiquated books and movies. This book could help students pick someone to learn about and put displays up at school. Everyone (indigenous or not) can find a hero here.
I would maybe have liked a list of resources in an appendix. But the key is to start with this list of names. The internet and library searching are a click away now that the reader knows who they wish to learn more about.
Each person gets the left colorful graphic page as their portrait. And the right page is a nice biography of this diverse group.
This is an inspiring group of people. They excel in the many avenues that all Americans also aspire to do well in. The indigenous people had to deal with far too many negative stereotypes in antiquated books and movies. This book could help students pick someone to learn about and put displays up at school. Everyone (indigenous or not) can find a hero here.
I would maybe have liked a list of resources in an appendix. But the key is to start with this list of names. The internet and library searching are a click away now that the reader knows who they wish to learn more about.
June 24, 2021
The art is Notable Native People is amazing and the stories included here even better. It was great to reread about some of these people that I've learned about in the past (like Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio who I had the pleasure of meeting in person or Lili'uokalani) and encounter some that were complete new to me.
I found the additional chapters on colonialism, decolonization, cultural appropriation, and misrepresentation super helpful. We all have to acknowledge that colonialism is still happening and Indigenous people deal with it on a daily basis. It was so inspiring to read about all these people advocating for their right to practice their cultures and languages, while trying to grow within their communities and tribes.
My favorite chapter was the one that focused of the Native people of Hawai'i and Alaska, that discussed the US military presence due to the "strategic" geographic locations of these places among other things. Keene also discussed the impact of climate change and food sovereignty, the horror of the missing and murdered indigenous women, and the threatening of sacred sites in various Indigenous communities, as well as the importance of language revitalization.
I'll finish my review with this quote: "Anytime that you support a Native artist, you're sending a message that you want to see true representation of Native cultures, and that is powerful."
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I found the additional chapters on colonialism, decolonization, cultural appropriation, and misrepresentation super helpful. We all have to acknowledge that colonialism is still happening and Indigenous people deal with it on a daily basis. It was so inspiring to read about all these people advocating for their right to practice their cultures and languages, while trying to grow within their communities and tribes.
My favorite chapter was the one that focused of the Native people of Hawai'i and Alaska, that discussed the US military presence due to the "strategic" geographic locations of these places among other things. Keene also discussed the impact of climate change and food sovereignty, the horror of the missing and murdered indigenous women, and the threatening of sacred sites in various Indigenous communities, as well as the importance of language revitalization.
I'll finish my review with this quote: "Anytime that you support a Native artist, you're sending a message that you want to see true representation of Native cultures, and that is powerful."
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
October 25, 2021
Notable Native People is not a comprehensive presentation of Native history but the 1-page bios and artistic renderings accompanying each one will whet your appetite for not just learning more about these individuals but also about the politics that has inspired such activism. Almost all of the 50 Indigenous people are social or political activists in some way, and their work highlights some of the issues that Native peoples have dealt with since colonial times. I liked that the bios are of people who lived in the 1600s to current times, come from tribes within the colonial US as well as Hawaii and Alaska, and span the spectrum of gender, sexual as well as professional identities. The book also contains general information that will probably spark discussion about Native lands, how Native citizenship is treated and Indigenous rights over language, land, crops and religious artifacts, as well as resources that could lead a curious reader to do further research.
I love the format of this book - limiting each bio to a page makes it easy to approach their stories but the presentations are so rich that they almost demand that you do something with the information.
Highly recommend this book as a gateway into learning more about Indigenous history.
Watch my review video on YouTube https://youtu.be/TI-Y6us4_F0
Note: I received a complimentary copy from Penguin Random House
I love the format of this book - limiting each bio to a page makes it easy to approach their stories but the presentations are so rich that they almost demand that you do something with the information.
Highly recommend this book as a gateway into learning more about Indigenous history.
Watch my review video on YouTube https://youtu.be/TI-Y6us4_F0
Note: I received a complimentary copy from Penguin Random House
November 1, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for providing me a finished copy. Much appreciated!
Overall I really enjoyed this. The artwork is absolutely stunning and I appreciate that Keene made a genuine effort to include both Alaska Natives and Kānaka Maoli, as well as ensuring a diversity in age, sexuality, gender, etc. My favorite aspect of the book were the essays sprinkled between the fifty mini- biographies.
As a reconnecting Cherokee, I did find it a bit disappointing that Keene (also Cherokee) left out a section on Freedmen. There was ample opportunity to include this discussion in the essay on how Native tribes decide who is and isn't allowed to be enrolled, and it's something that's often glossed over in discussions about tribal enrollment.
Overall I really enjoyed this. The artwork is absolutely stunning and I appreciate that Keene made a genuine effort to include both Alaska Natives and Kānaka Maoli, as well as ensuring a diversity in age, sexuality, gender, etc. My favorite aspect of the book were the essays sprinkled between the fifty mini- biographies.
As a reconnecting Cherokee, I did find it a bit disappointing that Keene (also Cherokee) left out a section on Freedmen. There was ample opportunity to include this discussion in the essay on how Native tribes decide who is and isn't allowed to be enrolled, and it's something that's often glossed over in discussions about tribal enrollment.
January 20, 2022
Emylie says:
A really informative and fantastic read. Keene highlights a lot of modern Native activists, especially those from Hawai'i and Alaska. She sums up each person precisely and highlights their stories and it's just really fascinating. Native people have come a long way in reclaiming their culture, etc and there's still a lot to do. Everyone should read this book.
A really informative and fantastic read. Keene highlights a lot of modern Native activists, especially those from Hawai'i and Alaska. She sums up each person precisely and highlights their stories and it's just really fascinating. Native people have come a long way in reclaiming their culture, etc and there's still a lot to do. Everyone should read this book.
May 1, 2022
Gorgeous and super well done.
December 16, 2021
With hundreds of different native nations in the USA, not all are represented in this book, obviously, but I still learned plenty of new names.
The author, Adrienne Keene, is a scholar and writer from the Cherokee Nation who work for the representation of Native people. The book is beautifully illustrated by Ciara Sana, a Chamoru artist.
J'aimerais bien une version Canada et pourquoi pas Québec aussi ?
The author, Adrienne Keene, is a scholar and writer from the Cherokee Nation who work for the representation of Native people. The book is beautifully illustrated by Ciara Sana, a Chamoru artist.
J'aimerais bien une version Canada et pourquoi pas Québec aussi ?
November 13, 2023
A very Enlightening group of individuals with incredible courage who pushed through the bs to make their mark on the world. Some of these bios were heartbreaking, some were joyful. All are inspiring! I own the book for my Grands to read, now I got to hear it. It was wonderful.
May 21, 2021
I reviewed a copy made available by the publisher via Netgalley - Thank you very much for that!
First of all, I would like to mention that I try as best I can not to take a place that I am not entitled to as a Kurd, therefore I will not be able to go deeper into the matter, but only comment on what I am entitled to comment.
"Notable Native People" is a really nice collection of incredible people who belong to various native tribes and cultures.
50 natives who come from different regions, tribes and cultures and
have done or are still doing great things that make them noteable people.
The book refers not only to what was and is being achieved on an activist level, but also to fields in which these people were and still are, be it as poets, LGBTQ activists, engineers, teachers, protectors or artists.
The illustrations of each person are beautiful.
In between the pages are informations on important current topics, such as a 101 on settler colonialism, representation, environmental problems, missing indigenous women or the question “Whose Land are you on?” Where the reader is encouraged to research whose land he is on.
I have to say that it is really well thought out, that the author does not give any more detailed information about which land belongs to who and does not relieve the reader of searching, but encourages them to do research theirself.
Given that indigenous peoples are always talked about as if they were extinct or no longer exist, it is all the more important to publish such books and to remind non-indigenous people that all of this is not the past, but indigenous peoples after all the genocides still exist and thrive.
Due to my Kurdish background I keep staying informed on many struggles around the world, which also include the Native people of the Americas, hence I was happy to see the amazing Indigenous Goddess Gang being mentioned in the Acknowledgements, since I‘ve been following them and their amazing content for so long and finally seeing them and their work getting recognition in a published work makes me so happy for them.
First of all, I would like to mention that I try as best I can not to take a place that I am not entitled to as a Kurd, therefore I will not be able to go deeper into the matter, but only comment on what I am entitled to comment.
"Notable Native People" is a really nice collection of incredible people who belong to various native tribes and cultures.
50 natives who come from different regions, tribes and cultures and
have done or are still doing great things that make them noteable people.
The book refers not only to what was and is being achieved on an activist level, but also to fields in which these people were and still are, be it as poets, LGBTQ activists, engineers, teachers, protectors or artists.
The illustrations of each person are beautiful.
In between the pages are informations on important current topics, such as a 101 on settler colonialism, representation, environmental problems, missing indigenous women or the question “Whose Land are you on?” Where the reader is encouraged to research whose land he is on.
I have to say that it is really well thought out, that the author does not give any more detailed information about which land belongs to who and does not relieve the reader of searching, but encourages them to do research theirself.
Given that indigenous peoples are always talked about as if they were extinct or no longer exist, it is all the more important to publish such books and to remind non-indigenous people that all of this is not the past, but indigenous peoples after all the genocides still exist and thrive.
Due to my Kurdish background I keep staying informed on many struggles around the world, which also include the Native people of the Americas, hence I was happy to see the amazing Indigenous Goddess Gang being mentioned in the Acknowledgements, since I‘ve been following them and their amazing content for so long and finally seeing them and their work getting recognition in a published work makes me so happy for them.
May 18, 2022
An absolute treasure. A number of people I’ve been aware of but so, so many more I did not know. I finally feel up on the up about Hawaii —what happened, who is important there, and how they might achieve a sovereign future. The illustrations are skillful, charming, and poignant. And also I appreciated the definition of terms. I’m just really appreciative of this book.
Read
January 27, 2025I learned so much about the colonization of Hawai’i and Alaska - this book emphasized this history, as well as the individuals that are working to regain sovereignty and support climate change measures to improve the lives of these communities. An important read, as all of these folks are doing amazing work!
August 24, 2022
Read this over the course of a few days. The entire book is a wonderful sequence of short profiles of Native leaders from across many disciplines and geographic areas. A lot of people I had heard of, and many more that I had not!
January 1, 2023
Must read for anyone interested in current and historical indigenous figures. Very well done!
I hope there is another book released with the Canadian figures!
I hope there is another book released with the Canadian figures!
August 17, 2023
Very beautiful book. I read a few profiles at a time and am in awe of these relatives. You need this on your bookshelf.
December 31, 2022
Great list, and I love the short, but informative backstories on everyone listed. Definitely found some new people to follow on social media too. I loved the little "interludes" that also discussed other Native/Indigenous topics - representation, current issues, etc. Definitely recommend.
March 11, 2022
"American history has purposely written Natives out of the national narrative, because our continued existence serves as a reminder that this country exists on stolen lands and was built by attempting to destroy millions of indigenous people. Therefore, the work of uncovering the stories of Native people unknown to most of the public is important decolonial work, and there's still so much for us all to learn...
Our world is in a time of dramatic change. Political unrest and climate change have caused an increasingly uncertain future. Our people lived on this land for millennia prior to colonization, and I believe that Indigenous knowledge holds the key to the future. We have survived genocide, and our communities continue to advance, grow, develop and change while maintaining our cultural roots. Given the opportunity, I know that our experiences and knowledge could turn things around. In order to embrace this Indigenous future, we need to learn from our present and our past. A common refrain about Indigenous representation is "we are still here," which is a powerful reminder that in spite of everything, we haven't been erased." Introduction - pgs. 12 & 13
A wonderfully illuminating book, that should really be volume one of a series since there are so many notable Indigenous People worth showcasing! The bios from Adrienne Keene have depth while remaining succinct. And the illustrations by Ciara Sana are beautifully rendered providing a nuanced glimpse of each individual. The Author was astute for including between the bios pertinent analysis on issues such as; Settler Colonialism; Representation Matters; and Who Belongs? among several others, which broke up any possible monotony by providing expanded context
I particularly liked the diversity in people chosen, from Edmonia Lewis a Mississauga Anishinaabe Sculptor who was an African American & Native college graduate, and the first Woman of Colour to gain international recognition in the fine arts world as a Sculptor. Elizabeth Peratrovich a Tlingit who as an Alaskan Native Civil Rights Activist was pivotal in getting the 1945 Anti-Discrimination Act passed, making it illegal to discriminate based on race. This was the first such act in US history, passing 14 years before Alaska became a state and nearly 20 years before the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. Chris Newman a Choptico Band Piscataway Farmer, Land Reclamation and Food Sovereignty Advocate is currently correcting the erroneous belief that only small farms can produce food sustainably. He does this by educating people about Indigenous ways of renewably managing large foodscapes, or food forests, which was done prior to colonization. These forests mirror nature by strategically placing plants that can coexist and collaborate with each other in a harmonious manner that spurs healthy viable growth.
This is one of those reads that leaves You shaking your head at the ginormous amount still to be learned. As stated at the beginning, a few volumes of this would rock My world!
Our world is in a time of dramatic change. Political unrest and climate change have caused an increasingly uncertain future. Our people lived on this land for millennia prior to colonization, and I believe that Indigenous knowledge holds the key to the future. We have survived genocide, and our communities continue to advance, grow, develop and change while maintaining our cultural roots. Given the opportunity, I know that our experiences and knowledge could turn things around. In order to embrace this Indigenous future, we need to learn from our present and our past. A common refrain about Indigenous representation is "we are still here," which is a powerful reminder that in spite of everything, we haven't been erased." Introduction - pgs. 12 & 13
A wonderfully illuminating book, that should really be volume one of a series since there are so many notable Indigenous People worth showcasing! The bios from Adrienne Keene have depth while remaining succinct. And the illustrations by Ciara Sana are beautifully rendered providing a nuanced glimpse of each individual. The Author was astute for including between the bios pertinent analysis on issues such as; Settler Colonialism; Representation Matters; and Who Belongs? among several others, which broke up any possible monotony by providing expanded context
I particularly liked the diversity in people chosen, from Edmonia Lewis a Mississauga Anishinaabe Sculptor who was an African American & Native college graduate, and the first Woman of Colour to gain international recognition in the fine arts world as a Sculptor. Elizabeth Peratrovich a Tlingit who as an Alaskan Native Civil Rights Activist was pivotal in getting the 1945 Anti-Discrimination Act passed, making it illegal to discriminate based on race. This was the first such act in US history, passing 14 years before Alaska became a state and nearly 20 years before the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. Chris Newman a Choptico Band Piscataway Farmer, Land Reclamation and Food Sovereignty Advocate is currently correcting the erroneous belief that only small farms can produce food sustainably. He does this by educating people about Indigenous ways of renewably managing large foodscapes, or food forests, which was done prior to colonization. These forests mirror nature by strategically placing plants that can coexist and collaborate with each other in a harmonious manner that spurs healthy viable growth.
This is one of those reads that leaves You shaking your head at the ginormous amount still to be learned. As stated at the beginning, a few volumes of this would rock My world!
February 9, 2023
There is nothing wrong with this book per se, but the format is all over the place. I personally would have preferred more than a scrambled Wikipedia rewrite of figures who deserve more of a spotlight. This book could have been twice as long, twice as informative, and better structured to become an exceptional resource. The artwork was wonderful and I do appreciate the effort to get these names out there.
November 18, 2023
Many people only know about historical Native male leaders – note: Native is the encompassing word Keene uses throughout the book – and this continued focus on the past makes it appear that Native culture is not thriving. That perspective could not be more wrong.
With a mix of contemporary and historical figures featured, Keene provides short biographies – each accompanied by a gorgeous, illustrated portrait by Ciara Sana – of changemakers from various tribes and industries, while paying particular attention to various gender identities and ages.
Spotlighting three cultural groups, American Indian, Alaska Native and Kānaka Maoli, Keene offers the reader a fantastic primer on Native cultures and advocacy in the current United States through personal stories weaved with interludes that provide context to ongoing and past issues.
For the slim length, “Notable Native People” expanded my knowledge of Native culture more than anything I’ve read recently. I was particularly struck by the author’s ability to distill decades of achievement into concise summaries, and the blunt and uncomplicated discussions about decolonization, colonialism and patriarchy and identity politics.
There’s been a push in the last several decades to expand knowledge of Native people beyond Hollywood stereotypes, and Keene accomplishes that with a book that is appropriate for readers of nearly all ages. It’s an inspiring, informative read and well worth the time.
With a mix of contemporary and historical figures featured, Keene provides short biographies – each accompanied by a gorgeous, illustrated portrait by Ciara Sana – of changemakers from various tribes and industries, while paying particular attention to various gender identities and ages.
Spotlighting three cultural groups, American Indian, Alaska Native and Kānaka Maoli, Keene offers the reader a fantastic primer on Native cultures and advocacy in the current United States through personal stories weaved with interludes that provide context to ongoing and past issues.
For the slim length, “Notable Native People” expanded my knowledge of Native culture more than anything I’ve read recently. I was particularly struck by the author’s ability to distill decades of achievement into concise summaries, and the blunt and uncomplicated discussions about decolonization, colonialism and patriarchy and identity politics.
There’s been a push in the last several decades to expand knowledge of Native people beyond Hollywood stereotypes, and Keene accomplishes that with a book that is appropriate for readers of nearly all ages. It’s an inspiring, informative read and well worth the time.
May 27, 2021
(Review of an ARC received via Netgalley)
I really enjoyed this one. It's incredibly well curated, with an interesting mixture of modern and historical people, and the contributions made by each person range from drag artists, basket weavers, activists, translators, curators, seed keepers, and myriad more. All of the bios are informative enough to give a good idea of the person's contributions, but not so thorough that you can't do your own reading afterwards. I've bought the work of quite a few of the people mentioned in it and look forward to learning more about them. The artwork style is bold and complements the profiles of each person really effectively, giving a nice insight into their character and background. All of the additional information about Native culture and history was also very enlightening; I've read up on Native history and experiences a fair amount in the past, but there were a huge amount of new things to learn here. I could honestly have read another 150 pages of it quite happily, and my only real critique of it would be that it's so short, at under 150 pages, with an extra list of 'Native people you should also know' tacked onto the back, with just a one sentence bio given to each. I would have liked full profiles on all of those people, too.
This is the sort of book that I think pretty much any age would benefit immensely from reading as it's definitely accessible enough to span a wide age group, and I really hope that it gets a good reach when it's published. I can see this being an enormously useful resource and reference.
I really enjoyed this one. It's incredibly well curated, with an interesting mixture of modern and historical people, and the contributions made by each person range from drag artists, basket weavers, activists, translators, curators, seed keepers, and myriad more. All of the bios are informative enough to give a good idea of the person's contributions, but not so thorough that you can't do your own reading afterwards. I've bought the work of quite a few of the people mentioned in it and look forward to learning more about them. The artwork style is bold and complements the profiles of each person really effectively, giving a nice insight into their character and background. All of the additional information about Native culture and history was also very enlightening; I've read up on Native history and experiences a fair amount in the past, but there were a huge amount of new things to learn here. I could honestly have read another 150 pages of it quite happily, and my only real critique of it would be that it's so short, at under 150 pages, with an extra list of 'Native people you should also know' tacked onto the back, with just a one sentence bio given to each. I would have liked full profiles on all of those people, too.
This is the sort of book that I think pretty much any age would benefit immensely from reading as it's definitely accessible enough to span a wide age group, and I really hope that it gets a good reach when it's published. I can see this being an enormously useful resource and reference.
March 3, 2022
These types of books are always subjective and it is hard to limit to just 50 people, past and present, but Keene has done an admirable job in selecting people from all walks of life who have inspired and continue to inspire people, everyday. Some of the people who I made note of included: Ka'ahumanu, a wife of Hawaiian ruler, Kamehameha; Maria Tallchief, a prima ballerina; football player, Jim Thorpe; Lili'uokalani, a Hawaiian Monarch and you can see a statue of her in a mall on Maui; basketball player, Kyrie Irving; and Suzan Shown Harjo, a witer, curator, activist, and educator.
For each entry in the book, we are shown an illustration (done by Ciara Sana), given the person's name, their tribe(s), their birth date - death date (if applicable), what they are known for, and a brief essay about them.
At the end of the book are a few pages of "More Notable Native People," which includes brief paragraphs about people such as Louise Erdrich and Joy Harjo. At the very end is an Index.
For each entry in the book, we are shown an illustration (done by Ciara Sana), given the person's name, their tribe(s), their birth date - death date (if applicable), what they are known for, and a brief essay about them.
At the end of the book are a few pages of "More Notable Native People," which includes brief paragraphs about people such as Louise Erdrich and Joy Harjo. At the very end is an Index.
Want to read
February 25, 2022
August 16, 2022
I loved this collection of mini-bios! It covered so many different types of people (artists, activists, historians) and had great coverage across Alaska, Hawaii, and the continental U.S, with the inclusion of queer and other intersectional native people as well. The bios really focused on what impact they have had on their communities, which I loved, and the book interspersed a few pages with info on important topics to native society today (ex. tribal membership rules). The illustrations were also just so beautiful. Really, really highly recommend!
Content Warnings:
settler-colonialism
Content Warnings:
settler-colonialism
August 24, 2023
This was great, short informative and interesting bios that make you want to learn more, along with beautiful illustrations by Chamoru artist Ciara Sana. The people highlighted in the book are American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian from past and present day. Interspersed within the bios are short essays on the history of settler colonialism, tribal identity/citizenship, history of the land, and current issues. It's a really beautiful book that belongs in every classroom and library.
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