The Struggle for Self-Determination: History of the Menominee Indians since 1854

by David R.M. Beck

Drawing on meticulous archival research and a close working relationship with the Menominee Historic Preservation Department, David R. M. Beck picks up where his earlier work, Siege and History of the Menominee Indians, 1634–1856 , ended. The Struggle for Self-Determination begins with the establishment of a small reservation in the Menominee homeland in northeastern Wisconsin at a time when the Menominee economic, political, and social structure came under aggressive assault. For the next hundred years the tribe attempted to regain control of its destiny, enduring successive policy attacks by governmental, religious, and local business sources.

 

The Menominee’s rich forests became a battleground on which they refused to cede control to the U.S. government. The struggle climaxed in the mid-twentieth century when the federal government terminated its relationship with the tribe. Throughout this time the Menominee fought to maintain their connection to their past and to regain control of their future. The lessons they learned helped them through their greatest modern disaster—termination—and enabled them to reconstruct a government and a reservation as the twentieth century drew to a close. The Struggle for Self-Determination reinterprets that story and includes the viewpoint of the Menominee in the telling of it.

Genres: History

296 pages, Paperback

First published January 9, 2005

Reviews

[지나 이 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 'Menominee Tribe' based in the Midwest United States has documented history dating back to the 1600s when first contact with Anglo Saxons happened dating back to this era & 'Beck' details interrelations, federal involvement, laws, and acts; religious convergence and separation, establishing Tribal based education, centers, zones, & community initiatives between the 1800s, 1900s, and as recent as the 1980s through 90s. There was and has been ongoing conflict over tribal and colonial values conflicting but has worked out in terms of integration despite of ongoing healing and improvement needed at times. The 'Menominee' tribe being highly Catholicized that has dealt with conflicting protestant values are mention of subjects along with tribal ran community centers, elderly centers, and even a college curriculum that is mainly based on Menominee Tribal values. There is major detail about federal, private, tribal, and community relations.