Kickapoos: Lords of the Middle Border (Civilization of American Indian) [Hardcover]

Arrell M. Gibson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1963 | Series: Civilization of American Indian

The Kickapoo Indians resisted outsiders’ every attempt to settle their lands--until finally they were forced to remove west of the Mississippi River to the plains of the Southwest. There they continued to wage war and acted as traders for border captives and goods. In 1873 they reluctantly settled on a reservation in Indian Territory. There, corrupt politicians, land swindlers, gamblers, and whiskey peddlers preyed on the tribe. Not until the twentieth century did the Kickapoos received just treatment at the hands of the United States government.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Arrell Morgan Gibson (1921-1987) was the George Lynn Cross Research Professor of History at the University of Oklahoma. Among the numerous books he authored or edited are The Kickapoos: Lords of the Middle Border and The Chickasaws.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 391 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (December 1963)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080610581X
• ISBN-13: 978-0806105819
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,867,909 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biography of an Indian Tribe, November 17, 2005

By 

Smallchief - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Kickapoos: Lords of the Middle Border (Civilization of the American Indian Series) (Paperback)

If you wish to read a book about a single Indian tribe, the Kickapoos have a history as varied and interesting as any. They first came into contact with the French in Wisconsin in the 17th century; in the 18th century they lived primarily in Illinois and Indiana; and in the 19th they separated into groups that took up residence in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and even Mexico. To this day, some remain in Mexico although most eventually -- and against their will -- were settled onto a reservation in Oklahoma.

The Kickapoos survived much better than most Indian tribes. Perhaps that is attributable to their social conservatism, warlike character, and contrary nature. They do not seem to have exerted themselves at fostering positive interpersonal relationships and endearing themselves to other tribes or Whites. A Texan, comparing them to the ferocious Comanches and Apaches, said the Kickapoos were "the worst of the lot" and the most vicious, calculating, and enterprising of Indians. The Mexican Kickapoos were described as the "meanest, least civilized, and most worthless" of all the Indians. Coming from Whites, those are impressive endorsements. The prickly Kickapoos didn't get pushed around much by anyone.

Macho Indians with guns and feathers are more interesting than downtrodden, doormat Indians and the Kickapoos fill the role perfectly. The author probably overestimates their historical prominence compared to other tribes such as the Shawnee, but he's compiled a fascinating history that brings the history of the tribe up to about 1910. This is an old book and readers may find it a bit politically incorrect. It's well worth a read, however, especially for the odd tale of how forest dwelling Indians from the north woods of Wisconsin came to live in the deserts of northern Mexico.

Smallchief

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great History, November 14, 2007

By 

NativeMan - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kickapoos: Lords of the Middle Border (Civilization of the American Indian Series) (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Kickapoos did not go silently into the night. Rather, they shot their way onto the pages of history, and Gibson does a good job telling their story. I did not detect any bias on the part of the author, though one must keep in mind that this book was published more than thirty years ago.