The Vanishing Race, the Last Great Indian Council: A Record in Picture and Story of the Last Great Indian Council

by Joseph K. Dixon

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Native American

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Joseph Kossuth Dixon, 1856-1926

Reviews

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book from my grandmother and nearly started bawling the last time I picked it up some years ago. It is about the disappearance of the American Indian tribes and their culture. An important book if poignant and soul wrenching.

[Bob Lundquist · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Indians accept their fate. That is the message of this collection of thoughts; I would not call it a book except in format. The Indians are vanishing, they know it, and they go along with it. The focus of the expeditions was focused on the high plains Indians; it does not cover all Indians as the text claims – certainly not those east of the Mississippi. This series of thoughts of Indians chiefs is repetitive. Their lifestyle is looked at, their memories of the Little Big Horn battle (which are sparse) and what they thought of the Last Council that brought them together. I can visualize the author coaching the chiefs on what to say. The prose of the author is so purple it is hard to distinguish whether it is sensitive or mockery. A Wikipedia search found that the expeditions was financed mainly by a department store (Wanamaker’s) and that the author is the company’s public relations director. I appreciate the effort that went into this work, but wonder about the motives.

Another note is that there are many versions of this book. Some0ne should narrow them down to a meaningful list.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first part of this book was a fascinating account of the history and lifestyle of the Native American tribes. The second part of the book, told mostly in the words of the tribal chiefs who attended what is referred to as "the last great Indian council" just made me sad. It was full of the chiefs thanking the American President (Taft) and the federal government's reservation administrators. It read as a group of conquered people professing fealty to the new noble lord, thanking them for choosing to rule over them instead of outright killing them.

[John Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different choice of historical reading for me. Loved it. Unusually , ended up discussing it with friends and family. The front cover is a fantastic picture.
John wilson.

[Dougel · Rating 3 out of 5]

i find it hard to believe that in a community of bibliophiles there is so few people who have read this book.

this isn't a book that one reads for the joy of it this is a book written in 1914 that recounts the final chapters of the assimilation of the native cultures that once lived on this continent and the final views of many chiefs and other Indians who were born in a time before the destruction of the buffalo and the forcible relocation to reservations of the surviving members of there tribes. mind many of these accounts are by those that have accepted the words of the great father in Washington and believe that the treaties they have accepted will be fulfilled, and even during the time of these recordings the chiefs were entreating the author to help pass on the message of need and desire to receive what was promised to them to the authority's that could accomplish this.

it also has a recounting of Custer's last stand by the Indian scouts in US service and the chiefs that fought him.

as sad as i am about these heartbreaking accounts of times gone by i also treasure the glimpse of a culture that i will never see otherwise

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narratives from a gathering of the last of the Indian chiefs. It could have been so much more. It records the remarks of the chiefs and some of their stories, but as a record of "the vanishing race" it leaves out so much. I learned something here. Of course the white settlers killed off the buffalo and killed so many Indians by way of disease, and sought to kill the Indian culture by "educating" the children. But many of chiefs remarked that, until the white people came, the life of the Indian was consumed by fighting with other tribes. They say outright that they understand they have to gain honor and make a good life by work, rather than by war. It was terrible genocide, the way it happened, and every bit of it is inexcusable. But although I knew that tribes fought each other frequently, I didn't before view warfare as a way of life that also got extinguished.