Lakota History

The Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana in 1876 has become known as the quintessential clash of cultures between the Lakota Sioux and whites. The men who led the battle—Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and Colonel George A. Custer—have become the stuff of legends, ingrained in the lore of the...

Most of the world remembers Crazy Horse as a peerless warrior who brought the U.S. Army to its knees at the Battle of Little Bighorn. But to his fellow Lakota Indians, he was a dutiful son and humble fighting man who, with valor, spirit, respect, and unparalleled leadership, fought for his people's land, livelihood, and honor. In this fascinating biography, Joseph Marshall, himself a Lakota Indian, creates a vibrant portrait of the man, his times, and his legacy.

Here are six stories from Joseph Marshall’s award-winning book, The Lakota Way, read by the author and enriched with musical performances by noted American Indian musicians Keith Bear, Joseph Fire Crow, and Andrew Vasquez. Rich with history and folklore, these traditional Lakota stories about...

This first complete account of the Lakota Indians traces their rich and often surprising history from the early 16th to the early 21st century. Pekka Hämäläinen explores the Lakotas' roots as marginal hunter-gatherers and reveals how they reinvented themselves twice: first as a river people who dominated the Missouri Valley, America's great commercial artery, and then - in what was America's first sweeping westward expansion - as a horse people who ruled supreme on the vast high plains.   

On December 29, 1890, the US military entered the Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with the intention of disarming the natives. When met with resistance, the cavalry opened fire on the Lakota in a massacre that killed several hundred men, women, and children. A few months later, some of the Lakota survivors met with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in Washington to state their side of the story. These powerful testimonies present this horrific event from the perspective of those most hurt by it.

In this short memoir-like article, Parker recalls attending a Lakota ghost dance ritual in October in the 1890s. Describing everything from the names of participants to what they wore, this narrative is a time capsule into the Lakota traditions of the past.

“Grandmother, you who listen and hear all, you from whom all good things come…It is your embrace we feel when we return to you.” This traditional Lakota prayer to Grandmother Earth opens Joseph Marshall III’s newest work, a meditation on our connection to the land and an exhortation to...

Witness the epic fight for Native American sovereignty and cultural survival against relentless frontier expansion. Perfect for a thought-provoking commute, this deeply researched narrative transports you directly to the campfires and battlefields of the Northern Plains. Lose yourself in the...

Experience a gripping Native American history of cultural resilience, sovereignty, and power on the American Plains. Perfect for an engaging daily commute, this historical nonfiction journey charts the dynamic rise of the Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota peoples. Witness how a fierce indigenous...

Experience the fierce resilience of the Oceti Sakowin in this gripping history of Indigenous sovereignty and survival. Perfect for an educational commute, this immersive narrative journeys far beyond well-known battles to explore centuries of spiritual traditions, political adaptation, and...