What to Read, Watch, & Listen to About Native and Indigenous History
Last updated August 17, 2023
In this iteration of our series on how to support, educate, and empower the Get Schooled community to get involved in the fight for racial justice in the United States, we’ll be sharing resources on how to learn about and combat the ongoing (and historical) violence, dispossession, and discrimination Native and Indigenous Americans face.
*Note - All links below will open in a new window.
Books
- The Grass Dancer by Susan Power
- Heart Berries: A Memoir by Terese Marie Mailhot
- Sharing our Stories of Survival: Native Women Surviving Violence by Sarah Deer; Bonnie Clairmont; Carrie A. Martell.
- Walking In Two Worlds: Understanding the Two-Spirit & LGBTQ Community, by the Minnesota Indian Women’s SA Coalition
Free Streamable Movies and Videos
- American Experience: We Shall Remain - this three-part PBS series focuses on 300 years of American history through the lens, understanding, and experiences of Native Americans. From the arrival of settlers on the Mayflower, to the trail of tears, to Wounded Knee - this is a key, equal-handed primer on both sides of how the U.S was shaped.
- Trudell- The story of American Indian activist John Trudell. The film traces his upbringing in Omaha, Nebraska through his leadership in the American Indian Movement (AIM) in the late 1960’s.
- A Conversation With Native Americans On Race - A quick, but powerful 6 minutes of perspectives from Native and Indigenous youth on the topic of racism in the U.S.
- The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open - Powerful film by Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, a member of the Kanai First Nation, that seeks to show the necessity for Indigenous people to look out for each other in a society that's too often indifferent to their existence.
Podcasts
- This Land - A quick, accessible pod on the history of land theft in Native America.
- The Red Nation Podcast - Insightful, funny perspectives on how indigenous youth view and move through the world around them.
- Coffee With My Ma - Host Kaniehtiio Horn, a first nations activist, spends each episode interviewing her mother, Kahentinetha Horn, a prominent Mohawk activist. Tune in for fascinating, history-laden stories and lovely banter.
Who to follow:
- National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center
- IllumiNative
- National Congress of American Indians
- Alanah Jewell
- @Indianz
- @Janaunplgd
This list only scratches the surface of resources about Native and Indigenous American history and culture in the United States. We believe that the work Native activists and creators do to bring awareness toward these issues helps combat bigotry and violence. We highly encourage you to dig deeper into the history, culture, and lived experiences of Native folks to become a better ally.
Social justice and civic engagement go hand-in-hand. Check out additional content to learn how to get involved in issues that matter to you and your community. If you have recommendations to add to this list, message us on Instagram @getschooled or text #Hello to 33-55-77 (if you're on mobile, click here to have the message set up for you).