Ethnic Studies: Native Americans
Reference Sources
Biographical Sources
Native American Women: A Biographical Dictionary
This is a biographical dictionary that includes short biographical entries on Native American women. Select bibliographies are included for each entry.
Notable Native Americans
This sources provides longer encyclopedic articles with select bibliographies on a variety of the more famous Native Americans. The source does not include biographical entries for any Europeans related to Native American history or culture. The source also includes a list of individuals separated by categories such as activists, actors, and anthropologists.
Who Was Who in Native American History
This source provides short encyclopedic articles on individuals both native and European relating to Native American history. No bibliography is included.
Ethnographic Sources
Chronology of Native American History: From Pre-Columbian Times to the Present
This chronology provide a detailed listing of political and cultural events from the pre-Columbian period to the present. It also includes narrative descriptions of general periods in Native American history such as 1500-1599 in addition to details about specific events.
Grove Art
This is an encyclopedia of topics relating to the fine arts and includes entries about Native American art. Each entry includes a select bibliography.
Grove Music
This is an online encyclopedia of topics relating to music and includes entries about Native American music. Each entry includes a select bibliography.
Historical and statistical information respecting the history, condition, and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States
This is 6 volume set and an excellent primary source on Native Americans written by Henry Rowe (H.R.) Schoolcraft (1793-1864). School craft was an ethnologist and explorer who served as an Indian agent in the Great Lakes region and led the expedition in 1832 that found the source of the Mississippi River. This source relays descriptions of tribes with whom he came into contact including descriptions of the geography, culture and politics. The final volume in the set includes an index
HRAF
The Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) is a cross-cultural resource that contains over 350,000 pages of information on all aspects of cultural and social life. It comes in 4 formats:
- Paper
- Microfiche
- CD-ROM
- Online (eHRAF - Restricted to use on-campus only.)
Each format includes a unique set of documents. Therefore, if you do not find an article relating to your topic in eHRAF you may want to check the other format
Smithsonian Institution
This series of 17 volumes produced by the Smithsonian Institution provides an authoritative overview of the history, culture, and politics of individual tribes and cultural groups. Each entry has a lengthy description which generally includes a description of the geographic regions associated with the group, the language and origins, customs and cultural practices, history, political structures, and sources used. The end of each volume includes a detailed index and bibliography.
The James P. Adams Library holds volumes 4-13, 15 and 17.
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Bureau of Ethnology
These volumes include articles from 19th century and early 20th century anthropologists on a variety of subjects including language, native arts and industries, institutions and organizations, myths and beliefs, enthnobotany, ethnogeography, physical anthropology, and archaeology.
Treaties and Relations with Europeans
Indian Affairs: Laws & Treaties (Kappler, Charles J., ed.)
- Electronic Version (free access)
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Paper Version
This source provides the complete text of treaties complete between the tribal nations within the United States and the federal government.