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RED POWER: The American Indians' Fight for Freedom by

RED POWER: The American Indians' Fight for Freedom

By

Pub Date: June 1st, 1971
Publisher: American Heritage

It just seems to a lot of Indians that this continent was a lot better off when we were running it."" Vine DeLoria's concluding words to this book, which consists of circa twenty-five position pieces, reports and recommendations, summarize the central purpose -- namely the Indians' right to be self-governing. Mr. Josephy, a long-standing contributor to Indian affairs, projects the Indian as a bondsman subjected to deplorable conditions and injustices while also the victim of his own ""egocentric predicament in action."" The latter is from a stimulating piece and one of the most substantive here, by deceased legal philosopher Felix S. Cohen. There are personal appeals from the Hopi Chieftain's testament on our ""good and peaceful way"" to Clyde Warrior's eloquent statement at the National Indian Youth Council: ""We are not free. We do not make choices. Our choices are made for us; we are the poor."" At some length there's Josephy's own study with recommendations to President-elect Nixon (1969) and Nixon's 1970 Message to Congress. An important collation of documents which will implement here, supplement there.