Diplomats in Buckskin: A History of Indian Delegations in Washington City [Paperback]

Herman J. Viola (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1995

"Here is...one of the most important books in modern times on Indian-white relations." ---Western Historical Quarterly

"Dr. Viola has...provided us with what will undoubtedly be the last word on the topic." ---American Indian Quarterly

"Diplomats in Buckskins is loaded with historical fact, but this does not make it dry reading. Beyond being extremely entertained we can be educated by a work that tells us a lot more about ourselves as a nation. We are a people of so many origins. It gives perspective to know that a part of us once negotiated with another part as separate and soverign nations." ---Minnesota History

"This volume is a soundly-represented and imaginative study of the delegations of tribal representatives who visited Washington largely between 1800 and 1900....The diligence with which Dr. Viola pursued his research has enabled him to write a most rewarding book which captures the agonies and pleasures, successes and defeats, and humor and pathos of the delegates as they conferred with Washington's sympathetic bur mostly patronizing and diffident bureaucracy." ---Journal of the West

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Herman J. Viola is Director of Quincentenary Programs in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.

Product Details

• Paperback: 234 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (September 15, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806199350
• ISBN-13: 978-0806199351
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,880,588 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Going to see the Great Father, June 4, 2006

By 

Bomojaz (South Central PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diplomats in Buckskin: A History of Indian Delegations in Washington City (Paperback)

This is a fascinating account of the numerous Indian delegations to (mainly) Washington, DC, over the course of more than a century (1800-1900). The first Indian delegation occurred in 1710, when four Mohawk chiefs (known as "The Four Kings") were brought to England for a month-long visit and a meeting with Queen Anne. The Indians were the hit of London and drew crowds wherever they went. During the American Revolution, Indians often visited George Washington at his headquarters, as the Americans tried to keep the natives friendly and neutral.

After the country gained its independence, inviting Indian delegates to Washington, DC, became a general policy - a policy that had psychological implications as well as diplomatic purposes: Washington leaders wanted the Indians to see the power and might of the whites in the hope that it would discourage the thought of uprisings. Indian delegations were often treated as visiting royalty might be treated, and left laded with gifts and tributes. (Of course, like most people or groups up against governmental bureaucracy the Indians also left Washington with little of substance gained.)

Viola, rather than just relating one visit after another, arranges his information in chapters by themes: visiting the Great Father, financing the delegations, Indian life in Washington, diversions, etc. This thematic presentation is much more interesting than a straight chronological one would be. The book is well written and thoroughly researched, and is well illustrated, too. It's an engaging and highly informative look at a rarely studied topic in Indian-white relations.

4.0 out of 5 stars Important history relating to the American Indian people, March 17, 2011

By 

Rickard A. Ross - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Diplomats in Buckskin: A History of Indian Delegations in Washington City (Paperback)

Herman Viola put together a valuable source of information in relation to 18th Century American West hisotry and the history of the American Indian people in relation to the U.S. government.