Invisible Indians: Native Americans in Pennsylvania (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781604975116)

Pennsylvania is one of the few states that neither contains a reservation nor officially recognizes any Native American group. The stance of state government is that there are no Native Americans in the state. However, there is a large and growing community of Native Americans that is growing more active and more frustrated with the state's position. Invisible Indians is based on three years of research with Native Americans in Pennsylvania. The authors have crossed the state to attend powwows and tribal meetings, as well as interview individual Indians. Based on several, extensive ethnographic interviews, this book provide an extremely insightful account of Native Americans in Pennsylvania. The book also examines the history of Native American/government relationships within the state, as well as critical issues such as casino gambling and state recognition that are the crux of current negotiations. The book is also about the ways Pennsylvania's Native Americans are reinventing their history and their cultures to meet their own social and psychological (identity) needs. This book is a much-needed addition to the literature on Native American identity today--the critical issue in contemporary Native American politics. The book also debunks the official state stance that no Native Americans exist in Pennsylvania. Invisible Indians will be a valuable reference both to social scientists interested in personal identity issues as well as all interested in Pennsylvania cultures and issues.

Author: David Jay Minderhout, Andrea T. Frantz
ISBN-10: 1604975113
ISBN-13: 9781604975116
Publisher: Cambria Press
Language: English
Published: 05/08/2008
Pages: 260
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.22lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.75d

Review Citation(s):
Reference and Research Bk News 08/01/2008 pg. 67