"I Am a Man"

Joe Starita talked about his book "I Am a Man": Chief Standing Bear’s Journey for Justice (St. Martin’s Press; January 20, 2009). In 1879, Ponca Chief Standing Bear challenged decades of Indian policy when he stood in a federal courthouse in Omaha, Nebraska, and demanded to be recognized as a person by the U.S. government. The eventual results were that all Native American peoples were given the full rights of American citizenship. Topics included how the government was making decisions based upon faulty information and how to treat indigenous people and tribal-based societies. Professor Starita was interviewed by Professor Arneson and responded to questions from members of the audience.

This 2 p.m. CDT program from the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Fest was held on the Books and Media Stage in the Lake Room of University Center. Included in program ID 287574-1. close