My People the Sioux

First published in 1928, ‘My People the Sioux’ is among the first books about Native Americans by Luther Standing Bear, a Sicangu and Oglala Lakota author, educator, philosopher, and actor. He worked to preserve Lakota culture and sovereignty and was at the forefront of a Progressive movement to change government policy toward Native Americans.

It remains a milestone in Indian literature, written from the Indian point of view by an Indian. Standing Bear was born in the 1860s, the son of a Lakota chief, was in the first class at Carlisle Indian School, witnessed the Ghost Dance uprising from the Pine Ridge Reservation, toured Europe with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, and devoted his later years to the Indian rights movement of the 1920s and 1930s.

Luther Standing Bear (1868–1939) was a respected Native American author, educator, actor, and advocate for Indigenous rights. A member of the Oglala Lakota Nation, he became one of the first Native American writers to share the history, traditions, and spiritual values of his people through books written for a broad audience. His writings offered a powerful and deeply personal perspective on the challenges faced by Indigenous communities while preserving the richness of Lakota culture for future generations.

He was born around December 1868 on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in present-day South Dakota. His Lakota name was Ota K'te, meaning "Plenty Kill." As a child, he experienced the traditional way of life of the Lakota people but also witnessed the profound changes brought about by westward expansion and U.S. government policies. In 1879, he was among the first group of Native American children sent to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. There, he was given the English name "Luther," a common practice at the school, where students were encouraged to abandon many aspects of their Native identity.

After completing his education, Standing Bear worked as a teacher, interpreter, rancher, and government employee. Over time, he became increasingly committed to preserving Lakota traditions and correcting widespread misunderstandings about Native American cultures. He believed that Indigenous people should have the opportunity to maintain their cultural identity while participating fully in modern society.

Standing Bear gained lasting recognition through his books, including My People the Sioux (1928), My Indian Boyhood (1931), Land of the Spotted Eagle (1933), and Stories of the Sioux (1934). These works combined autobiography, history, and cultural reflection, describing Lakota beliefs, customs, family life, and the close relationship between people and nature. His writing challenged stereotypes and encouraged readers to appreciate Indigenous wisdom, dignity, and resilience.

In his later years, Standing Bear also appeared in several Hollywood films, helping bring Native American stories and perspectives to wider audiences. He died on February 20, 1939, in Huntington Park, California. Today, Luther Standing Bear is remembered as a pioneering Indigenous author and cultural ambassador whose thoughtful writings continue to inspire readers with their messages of respect, understanding, and harmony between humanity and the natural world.