Native American Authors

Native American authors entered the public sphere of print in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Mohegan Samson Occom (1723-1792) became the first Native American author in print with the 1772 publication of his Sermon Preached at the Execution of Moses Paul (New Haven, T. & S. Green). In 1829, Pequot author William Apess (1798-1839) became the first Native American to register copyright for his autobiography, A Son of the Forest (New York, the Author).

The initial phase of this project focused on Occom and Apess. Additional Native American authors, such as Ojibwa historian George Copway (1818-1869) or Paiute author Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins (1841-1891), among others, will be included following additional research. Native American authors who published in their native language, such as Cherokee writer, translator, and editor Elias Boudinot (1803-1839) are represented in the related language sections.

Digitized Works

1. The Reverend Mr. Samson Occom : the first Indian minister that ever was in Europe, & who accompanied the Rev'd Nathan'l. Whitaker, D.D. in an application to Great Britain for charities to support ye Rev'd. Dr. Wheelock's Indian academy, and missionaries among ye native savages of N. America M. Chamberlin, pinx't.; J. Spilsbury, fecit.

2. A sermon preached at the execution of Moses Paul : an Indian who was executed at New-Haven on the 2d of September, 1772 for the murder of Mr. Moses Cook, late of Waterbury, on the 7th of December, 1771 / preached at the desire of said Paul by Samson Occom, minister of the gospel and missionary to the Indians.

3. A sermon at the execution of Moses Paul, an Indian; : who had been guilty of murder, preached at New Haven in America / by Samson Occom, a native Indian, and missionary to the Indians, who was in England in 1776 and 1777, collecting for the Indian charity schools. To which is added a short account of the late spread of the Gospel among the Indians. Also, Observations on the language of the Muhhekaneew Indians; communicated to the Connecticut Society of Arts and Sciences / by Jonathan Edwards, D.D.

4. David Cusick's Sketches of ancient history of the Six Nations: comprising, first, a tale of the foundation of the great island (now North America), the two infants born, and the creation of the universe. Second, a real account of the early settlers of North America, and their dissentions. Third, origin of the kingdom of the Five Nations, which was called a long house: the wars, fierce animals, &c.

5. A son of the forest : the experience of William Apes, a native of the forest ; comprising a notice of the Pequod tribe of Indians / written by himself.

6. A son of the forest : the experience of William Apes, a native of the forest / written by himself.

7. Indian nullification of the unconstitutional laws of Massachusetts, relative to the Marshpee tribe, or, The pretended riot explained / by William Apes.

8. Hymn : the Indian's prayer ...

9. Eulogy on King Philip : as pronounced at the Odeon, in Federal Street, Boston / by the Rev. William Apes.

10. History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan; a grammar of their language, and personal and family history of the author, by Andrew J. Blackbird, late U.S. interpreter.

11. My people, the Sioux, by Luther Standing Bear ... edited by E. A. Brininstool, with an introduction by William S. Hart, and with illustrations from drawings by the author and from photographs.