Michael L. Cooper

The cover photographs are of the same young man. The top photo shows how he looked when he first arrived at school, while the bottom photo shows how he looked several days later.

In 1879 eighty-four Sioux boys and girls became the inaugural group of students to be enrolled at the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania. Carlisle was the first institution opened by the federal government for the education of Native American children. The brainchild of former Indian fighter Captain Richard Pratt, Carlisle, like other schools that followed, was established to teach Indian children the "white man's way." For some, like Olympian Jim Thorpe, Indian School led to success and prosperity, but for many others it was an education in alienation and isolation. Michael L. Cooper examines the Indian Schools and tells the personal stories, often in their own words, of several young students, including Zitkala-Sa, who wrote, "Like a slender tree, I had been uprooted from my mother, nature, and God."

"Generous helpings of contemporary black-and-white photographs and statements give many students both voices and faces."
Kirkus, October 15, 1999. Starred review

Review from Children's Literature
This is a sad picture of a shameful period of American history. Some facets may be familiar to the reader, while others are less well known, such as how many children were removed from their parents, some of them dragged across the country and how many died from depression and disease. Cooper describes various schools, their set up, and the way students were educated, housed, directed, and disciplined. The true poignancy of the books comes from Cooper's relaying the students' stories and offering a wealth of old photographs. Readers will be moved by the heartbreaking tales of these once-proud children whose hair, dress, and customs were stolen from them, and will silently cheer the victories of those who coped with the horrors and maintained a sense of self against assaults to their dignity. 1999, Clarion, Ages 9 up, $15.00. Reviewer: Susie Wilde