Native America in the Twentieth Century : An Encyclopedia (Garland Reference Library of Social Science) [Paperback]

Mary B. Davis (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0815325835 | ISBN-13: 978-0815325833 | Publication Date: August 1996

Articles on present-day tribal groups comprise more than half of the coverage, ranging from essays on the Navajo, Lakota, Cherokee, and other large tribes to shorter entries on such lesser-known groups as the Hoh, Paugusett, and Tunica-Biloxi. Also 25 inlcludes maps.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As the title implies, this reference focuses on contemporary topics and thus does not offer, for example, as much history of removal from tribal lands but how the victims have adjusted and coped with their forced relocation. Though a few entries are concise paragraphs, most are several pages long, and all are followed by brief bibliographies for further reading. The text is written in a firm, unemotional manner that loads each sentence with factual matter. Some maps are interspersed throughout to show tribal locations, and a few photographs illustrate such visually oriented sections as film and video and the arts. The book is useful in presenting up-to-date overviews of subjects of current concern, like casino ownership and fishing rights, in addition to offering sociological entries on such topics as alcohol abuse and image. At 58 pages, the index is extensive but could have been more comprehensive; in a fact-filled volume such as this, some useful information in the text could not be located through the index. However, the encyclopedic format makes finding pertinent topics easy, and a separate list of entries by subject makes related entries accessible. All entries are signed, and 40 percent are by Native Americans. Close competitors are The Native North American Almanac (LJ 5/1/94) and The Native American Almanac (LJ 11/1/93). The almanacs are more historically oriented and include directory information, while the new volume is preferable for current articles describing concerns for Native Americans. Highly recommended for all libraries.
James Moffet, Baldwin P.L., Birmingham, Mich.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

More than 300 signed articles by 282 contributors make this a first-stop reference source for material about contemporary Native Americans. It is important to note that more than 40 percent of the articles were written by Native Americans. Overview articles appear on such topics as art, education, government, and health, which contain see also references. Other articles cover such topics as the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the Bureau of Indian Affairs schools, the National Congress of American Indians, and Red Power from an Indian perspective. The largest number of articles are on individual tribes; these are often accompanied by charts and graphs and vary in length from less than one-half page for Nanticoke to five pages for Navajo. Extensive bibliographies accompany every entry. In addition, there are more than 20 full-page line maps and many black-and-white photographs. All entries are signed, and the authors' credentials are provided. At the beginning of the work, a classified list of articles lists them under such headings as Art, Government Policy, Law, and Religion. The detailed index provides subject access.

This is an easy-to-use reference work. It is an excellent source for hard-to-find information about lesser-known such tribes as the Hoh and the Tunica-Biloxi, but it has limited coverage of individuals. The editor indicates that biographical material is beyond the scope of the work, as is coverage of Canadian Natives. Since this work provides up-to-date information on tribal groups, it could easily replace books with limited coverage. Native American Almanac [RBB Ja 15 94] is a more popular treatment of the topic and does not provide detailed information on individual tribes. The Native North American Almanac [RBB My 1 94] has both historical and contemporary coverage. It also contains biographies and directory information. Libraries, high school and up, in need of a scholarly treatment of this topic will want to consider Native America in the Twentieth Century. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 832 pages
• Publisher: Garland Publishing (August 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815325835
• ISBN-13: 978-0815325833
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 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: #1,201,630 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Reference Tool, July 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Native America in the Twentieth Century : An Encyclopedia (Garland Reference Library of Social Science) (Paperback)

As an anthropologist and an information professional, I highly recommend this book for anyone researching or studying Native Americans, historical or contemporary. What makes this an essential reference tool, in my opinion, is that it provides a variety of perspectives -- many of the authors are Native American, in addition to anthropologists, historians, etc. One must keep these various biases in mind when using this resource, but this diversity of voices is an example of what makes this source unique. Additionally, the entries offer many great historical summaries but with a focus on contemporary Native America that is difficult to find in other Native American reference tools that tend to focus on the pre-contact and early contact period lifeways and history of various tribal entities rather than modern issues and tribal life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting reference, January 8, 2008

By 

Seth J. Frantzman (Jerusalem, Israel) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Native America in the Twentieth Century : An Encyclopedia (Garland Reference Library of Social Science) (Paperback)

This is an important reference book on the American Indian in the 20th century. However some entries lack substance and also lack information. There could have been much more dates and facts and information on legislation and population and demographics and other things. Nevertheless this is a very important book and no researcher on Native-Americans should be without it.

Seth J. Frantzman