\ by Joe Starita

\ Reviews

• 
  Susan

  It is always difficult for me to read about how Native Americans were treated by the U.S. Government. I enjoy history and being a lifelong Nebraskan, I felt this was a must read for me.
• 
  Aaron Nix

  This quote sums it up nicely - "I know it's important that we have our stories of George Washington and the cherry tree and Honest Abe the rail-splitter. Those are all important stories," he likes to say. "But there are some other stories worth knowing, too. What's more American than loving your country, your homeland this much? What's more American than loving your son and the traditions of your people so much that you would risk everything to honor a promise? What's more American than preferring death in a freedom flight home to dying slowly as a prisoner in a place you hate, a place you have no connection to? I mean, this was a man who took on the U.S. government on a different kind of battlefield – and he won. When you think about it, it's one of the best American stories we have."
• 
  Brady Jones

  An excellent narrative (by my college reporting professor) that follows the life of Chief Standing Bear, the Ponca tribe, and Native Americas’ history with the growing United States. I learned a lot, including more history about my home state of Nebraska. Sometimes the transitions to vignettes of Ponca descendants seem a little random and kind of confusing in the narrative, but overall it’s a great portrait of an interesting historical figure that connects you with Standing Bear on a deeper, human level - even though it’s more than 100 years removed.
• 
  Steve

  Anyone with a passing knowledge of American history already knows about the shameful treatment of Native Americans by our government, but reading the horrific details always produces fresh revulsion. If you don't leave this book infuriated by what you've read, you're not doing humanity right.
  
  "I Am A Man" is the story of Chief Standing Bear, a Ponca Indian whose people were forcibly removed from their land (as the result of a stupid bureaucratic mistake, no less), promised assistance in moving and rebuilding at the inferior location they were relocated to and then repeatedly denied it, and largely ignored in their efforts to seek redress for their grievances. Read the book (or use Google) for the details, as long as you're prepared to be disgusted.
  
  There are, despite the horrors, some heroes in this book, including Standing Bear himself -- but also white Americans who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw Ponca suffering and tried to heal it, saw the undeclared yet transparent war on Native Americans and tried to stop it. As always throughout history, these progressives were a minority when they began their efforts, but became a majority -- or at least won the support of a critical mass -- through their tireless advocacy for liberty and justice for all.
  
  The heroes include Thomas Tibbles, a muckraking journalist who brought the plight of the Poncas to a national audience. They include General George Crook, who was charged with the responsibility of imprisoning Standing Bear for his refusal to follow orders -- yet developed the legal theory that eventually lead to CSB's release and recognition as deserving of the protection of our Constitution. And the heroes include white settlers who provided food and shelter to Standing Bear and his people as they traveled 600 miles in the dead of winter to return to their homeland.
  
  CSB said that not once was he refused when he asked for help from individual people ... despite the fact that the government of those helpers was enacting policies that would decimate the Ponca. It's an interesting lesson in the reality that distance from suffering allows (too many) people to tolerate it, when they never would if the suffering was happening right in front of them -- comparable to today's acceptance of the forced separation of migrant children from their parents by our government by many people who would (hopefully) recoil in horror if they saw a family torn apart in their presence.
  
  Ultimately IAAM is about Chief Standing Bear's fight for legal standing and the protections of the U.S. Constitution, which until 1879 had never recognized Natives Americans as human beings. Standing Bear's case resulted in his recognition as a “person” under the law, entitled to the rights and protections of the Constitution. He and his people were, eventually, allowed to return to a (much smaller) piece of the land from which they had been forced. His was an important case, which resolved his particular complaint in his favor. It did not, unfortunately, do much to remedy the larger problem of the U.S. government's treatment of Native Americans throughout the generations, which has still not been remedied to this day.
• 
  Amy H. Sturgis

  I would give "I Am a Man" 3.5 stars if I could.
  
  This is the story of Chief Standing Bear, the Ponca leader who in 1879 won his case (Standing Bear v. Crook) in U.S. District Court, which determined that Native Americans are "persons within the meaning of the law" and have the right of habeas corpus. Author Joe Starita does a compelling job of setting up the context of Standing Bear's -- and the Ponca people's -- character and resilience in the face of terrible experiences with the U.S. government. The book left me wanting more, however, relating to the aftermath of the decision, such as Standing Bear's travels and public appearances and the impact of the Dawes Act. That said, I highly recommend this to anyone interested in human rights and/or U.S. and Native American history.
  
  A word of warning: the professional audiobook version of this work is a great disappointment. The narrator, Armando Duran, runs roughshod over the proper names of both Native peoples -- peoples who survive and have representation today, whose heritage centers could easily have been contacted in order to verify the pronunciation of their nations' names -- and also-easily-verifiable geographic locations. One mistake is an accident; half a dozen is unprofessionalism. If a press is going to publish works of Native history, that press should also invest in narrators who treat the subject with dignity and due diligence.
  
• 
  Claire

  Very engaging book even though it is historical facts!! This is a great historical book with good narrative, which sometimes is tricky with dense information. While it was frustrating to learn in more detail how the US government screwed over indigenous peoples, it was very interesting to hear how much we also haven’t changed. For instance, a lot (if not all, which was implied in the book) of the white settler neighbors to the Ponca people viewed them favorably, saw them as kind neighbors who helped protect them from the Lakota and would aid the settlers. In modern times, there’s stories of black people (I know of one, perhaps there are more) befriending KKK members and, over the years of their friendship, eventually their white friends leave the KKK. Empathy is the commonality, and it is frustrating that empathy is so hard for so many people.
  
  This book was also interesting because of how the tour group (Standing Bear, Tibbles, Bright Eyes, and the other person I already forgot) really engaged the public and got them very passionate about righting how mistreated the Ponca people were by their government. I agree with a modern member of the tribe viewing Standing Bear and the others as the first civil rights activists.
  
  The timing of it all, specifically how recent it was after the Civil War and the 3 amendments, was insane to really think about. This book does a great job repeating certain things to help you remember what happened in earlier years to the Ponca, and also in giving time period context for who was alive and what notable things happened elsewhere in the country/ world in the year that was being described for the Ponca people.
  
  One of the most frustrating aspects was how the blame was shuffled around. But mostly, how often the word “dignity” was in the book, because the government people were being a big babies about not wanting to change their minds about their awful, forced removal policies of the country’s native populations.
• 
  Crystal

  I admit that I don't know much about Native American history, so this book was all new material for me. The primary thought that went through my mind over and over while reading this book was "gaslighting!" It is appalling and disgusting how the American government treated the Native Americans, and in particular, the tribe that was the focus of this book. Standing Bear and the Ponca Tribe did everything they could to stick to the treaties they agreed to with the US government, but time and time again the government screwed them over. It was hard to read and not a part of this country's legacy to be proud of.
• 
  Kelly

  This exhaustively researched book reminds us of an important piece of history, the story of Chief Standing Bear and his efforts to get any kind of a fair shake from the U.S. government. It's a sad story. I found the book to be somewhat dry, with its "just the facts" style. (A PBS documentary would have been an equally appropriate and perhaps more engaging medium for the story.) Standing Bear's story is important in legal history, but I would have been more interested in a richer exploration of the intersection between cultures.
• 
  Lanae

  As a Nebraskan, I feel upset with myself for not knowing more about Standing Bear and the Ponca tribe. I learned quite a bit through this book and I'm better able to appreciate the role that writers have in influencing history. My one criticism is that Joe Starita changes writing styles throughout since he is influenced by both journalism and academia.
• 
  Paula

  I'm moving this book to the top of my TBR pile after hearing him speak this morning at the ARSL Conference in Omaha, NE. An amazing story teller who left the 450+ attendees spellbound with this story.
• 
  Justin Baker

  A powerful biography about one Ponca Chief and his love for his homeland during the mass Native American removal of the 1800s. The book touches on the role he played in opening up the question of Native American equality on legal and moral grounds during a crucial turning point in Native relations.
• 
  Teagan E

  A really enlightening and full account of the Ponca people and Standing Bear in the struggle to find their place in a new United States. I thought it was a great read, and enhanced my knowledge of a known but glossed-over part of our past as a country of mixed cultures.
• 
  Dana Tuss

  Great book about a heartbreaking time in American history. A good time to read this -- to be reminded we are all humans.
• 
  Joshua Best

  I rate this book a rare 5 stars. The main story is incredible, and although I’d heard it before, this book took it to a different level. Also it’s always interesting to read about the place where you live. Not only is this a United States Civil Rights story, but also a Nebraska story, and even an Omaha story – it’s very cool to think that the crux of it happened just a few blocks from where I live now.
  
  Also, no part of the story was prolonged in the book – I was worried that the court case might take up several chapters – it did not, it was to the point and we got the key takeaways.
  
  To me, this was a story about change – and willingness to change. Either choosing to change or choosing not to change or having change forced upon you.
  
  I think General George Crook, the “Army’s most experienced Indian fighter”, is a hero. He had enough guts to change the way he thought about Native Americans and do something about it. So in the middle of the night, he snuck off and told the newspaper, “come report on this – what we’re doing is not right”. And during Standing Bear v. Crook, at the end of the Standing Bear’s speech, Crook was the first one to stand up and shake Standing Bear’s hand.
  
  Judge Elmer Dundy seemed to have a change of heart also as it relates to Native Americans. He has been called an “Indian-hating judge”, but here it seems he was able to change his mind enough to rule in Standing Bear’s favor.
  
  Standing Bear was obviously forced to change, in many ways. However, the changes I thought were most interesting were the changes he chose to make. The fact that he wanted to assimilate. So much so that during their speaking tour on the East Coast, he wanted to and eventually did, cut his hair and buy a new suit.
  
  

  “More and more, the boy noticed, his father had taken to wearing white man’s clothing – shoes, trousers, shirts, sometimes a hat.”

  
  
  I also heard on the
  Constitutional podcast, that Chief Standing Bear wanted his son to learn the ways of the white man. He sent his son to school to learn English and to church to learn about the white man’s God. He would be the bridge between the old way to the new way.
  
  This to me, is an interesting point to think about. Standing Bear was very willing to change to the new ways and was proactively trying to position his son and the future of their tribe to assimilate more. I guess it could be argued both ways on whether or not that’s good or bad. However, there was a concept of the new way which Standing Bear would have much difficulty comprehending and would not really accept – the individual ownership of land.
  
  The United States Government, on the other hand, did not seem willing to change… even though several individuals within the government were.
  
  

  “twenty-two years after his homeland has been given away to the Lakota,
  eleven years after a federal judge set him free with nowhere to go,
  ten years after the Great Father pledge to return all their lands,
  nine years after Congress approved the Ponca Relief Bill,
  three years after the Dawes act,
  a year after the Great Sioux Reservation was dismantled –
  
  Standing bear received Allotment No. 146: a 297.8-acre parcel…”

  
  
  It seemed that no matter what victories were had within government policies, reality never changed much for Standing Bear and the Ponca.
  
  At the end of the book, I had very mixed feelings. Sure, Standing Bear gave a great speech and won the case — but did he ever get what he really wanted? He got to bury his son in their homeland, which I suppose was some consolation. But things were never the same as before 1877 when the Ponca were forced to walk off of their homeland to the Indian Territory. This, too, is change.
• 
  MaryL

  The story about Standing Bear is very important in American history. I didn't learn of Standing Bear and his tribe's struggle and eventual victory until I read this book. Standing Bear was a chief in the Ponca tribe in the 1850s. The U. S. government was moving Indian tribes into present day Oklahoma. The Poncas lived and farmed in northeastern Nebraska when a government Indian agent visited them and told them that it had been decided that the Ponca had to move south to "Indian territory." The U. S. had given the Poncas land - which had been certified with a treaty to belong to Poncas twenty years earlier - to the Lakota. Not only had the government reneged on the treaty, but they had given the Poncas land to enemies of the Ponca. The Lakota and Ponca had been enemies for generations. The author tells the complicated story of how the government betrayed the Ponca time and again with worthless promises and broken treaties. The important part of Standing Bear's history is that he went to court, and it was the first time that an Indian was declared to be a person who has rights that the U.S. must respect that are guaranteed by the fourteenth amendment to the constitution. I liked it when the author told part of Standing Bear's story and then would fast forward to present day to tell about a descendent who was living in the same spot and tell how that person related to and felt about their ancestors. I learned a lot about the government's Indian policy and the citizens feelings about it at that time in the 1850s to 1880s. The book did drag at some spots and was emotionally difficult to read at times. The author had a sometimes choppy sentence structure - short simple sentences - that made me wonder if he was trying to imitate an Indian's pattern of speech as he's transitioning from his language to English. The sentence structure seemed strange and hard to read until I got used to it.
• 
  Kathy KS

  3.5* for importance.
  
  A seemingly well-researched recounting of the changes in the way the U.S. government dealt with the Ponca Indians in the late 19th century. After creating good farmsteads in northern Nebraska on the Niobrara River, the Poncas were sent to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) on a new reservation. For a variety of reasons (mainly cited in the book), including many deaths from malaria, the loss of homes, farm equipment, crops, deathbed promises, and other results of hard work, some of the Poncas, led by Chief Standing Bear, headed north towards the old homelands.
  
  Eventually, all of this led to a landmark court case when Chief Standing Bear sued the commandant of the military post who arrested them in preparation for returning the runaways to the south.
  
  And there's more to the story and the explanations, when available, in this book. Quite frankly, this is one of the times those of us with European American ancestry feel a deep sense of shame. Not necessarily for things my own family may or may not have done, but the collective guilt about the handling of "the Indian question." But there are some definite good results from the trials and tribulations of this tribe during this time.
  
  Recommended for those interested in American history and/or social justice.
• 
  Gena

  Looking for an appropriate accompaniment to a driving trip from Wyoming to Montana and across South Dakota, we stumbled upon this history of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and we couldn't have been happier. Starita is a journalist and the history moves briskly and engagingly. The story of the displacing of the Ponca Tribe, which turns out to include the legal battle to grant Native Americans civil rights, was surprisingly timely: a President who didn't win a majority of the popular vote, promises made to minority groups and then broken, the disenfranchisement of minorities to benefit majority white interests. Did you know that while the 14th and 15th Amendment grant voting rights to African Americans and the 19th Amendment grants voting rights to women, Native Americans didn't become citizens until an Act of Congress in 1904 and didn't get voting rights in all states until the 1960s? Unbelievable!
• 
  Anne Vandenbrink

  Incredible story of Standing Bear, chief of the Ponca Tribe. They were forced from their Northern Nebraska land in 1877 to a reservation in Oklahoma. They lost many members on the 'trail of tears' and even more on the new, inhospitable reservation. Government promises of housing, farm implements, livestock and food were never delivered. Standing Bear and a group of followers walked back north in 1879 in an attempt to reclaim their land and save their people. A reporter, Thomas Tibbles took up their plight and spread their story far and wide. A legal team of scholarly lawyers and businessmen were assembled to take the case to the government. It took two years for the government to decide that Indians were a free people. It took another two years and the Dawes Act to protect "the property of the natives".
• 
  Twee

  “That hand is not the color of yours, but if i pierce if, I shall feel pain. If you pierce your hand, you also feel pain. The blood that will flow from mine will be of the same color as yours. I am a man.”
  
  What a journey Standing Bear and his tribe had been through reclaiming for what were rightfully theirs. There are quite a few books that made me sobbed and this is one of them. Police brutality and the government’s ignorance of its people struggles as well as its abusive of powers towards the weaks are what not only do you see right now but also way back in the 1800s, which was highlighted in this book! Highly recommend!
• 
  Carole

  What a story! This is another example of how poorly the native peoples have been treated by the United States government. Being an Oregonian I already knew about the plight of many of our pacific northwest Indian tribes, but I had never heard this story about Standing Bear. I was in Nebraska this past summer when I heard this story of the local Ponca Indians. There is a lot of admire in this man who loved his people and loved his homeland. He tried hard to work within the overwhelming US government, and he did make a difference. Not a very happy story and not an entirely satisfying conclusion, but at least progress for the Indian people was made.
• 
  William

  I always find it a challenge to not get ridiculously angry reading text of how we treated native Americans in the 19th century, while pretending to be superior. The Ponca Indians deserved better than our pathetic administration at the time. This book includes our treatment of the Ponca, while focusing on Chief Standing Bear, the unintentional father of civil rights in the United States.
• 
  Josh

  I first learned about Chief Standing Bear, in a documentary that aired on Nebraska Public Television many years ago. This book was very interesting because it expands on what was shown in the television production. The documentary/show ends with Standing Bear along the Niobrara River where he buries his son. This, however, is not where the story actually ends.
• 
  Autumn

  As a direct descendent of Standing Bear (3x great granddaughter), I couldn’t put this book down. As I thought I knew the whole story of the Ponca removal and of my 3x great grandfather, I did not, and I learned so much in just the 3 days I finished it. Emotional and heartbreaking. Well written by Joe Starita.
• 
  Steve Kemper

  A TRULY Heroic American Struggle.
  
  I heard the basics of this heroic struggle growing up in Omaha. This is an engrossing, and painful history of a defining time in American history. This should be in every classroom in the US.
  
  The fact that General Cook came to his defense after a lifetime fighting Native Americans is amazing as well.
  
  Everyone should read this work!