Description
Dakota Philosopher: Charles Eastman and American Indian Thought offers a new opinion of the contribution made by Charles Alexander Eastman (1858-1939). Eastman also known as Ohiyesa was born into a traditional Dakota family and later converted to Christianity and attended medical school. Returning to his homeland, Eastman worked as a doctor during the Wounded Knee massacre. His views on American society were seriously called into question after this devastating experience. Eastman's publications Indian Boyhood and The Soul of the Indian are often criticized for their perspective and views by modern scholars. David Martinez, Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies at Arizona State University, reexamines Eastman's writings with a new perspective that overlooks the obvious terminology of the times of the original writing. This fresh look examines Eastman's understanding of the U.S.-Dakota War, Dakota and Ojibwe relations, Dakota sacred history, and citizenship in the Progressive Era. This fresh examination offers readers a chance to understand Eastman's lasting contribution to Native American philosophy that remains relevant today.