Our Mission...
It is the mission of "Native History Magazine" to dispel stereotypes, correct inaccuracies and promote understanding about the history, culture and spirituality of aboriginal peoples of the Western Hemisphere. We believe we can best fulfill this mission by helping parents and other educators find the resources and information they need whether they are searching for their own knowledge or bear the heavy burden of teaching others.
The magazine is dedicated to every one's children, everywhere, unto the seventh generation.
It is the mission of "Native History Magazine" to dispel stereotypes, correct inaccuracies and promote understanding about the history, culture and spirituality of aboriginal peoples of the Western Hemisphere. We believe we can best fulfill this mission by helping parents and other educators find the resources and information they need whether they are searching for their own knowledge or bear the heavy burden of teaching others.
The magazine is dedicated to every one's children, everywhere, unto the seventh generation.
The Articles
Most of the articles on this site are based on primary sources rather than secondary sources. For people new to those terms, primary sources are usually documents created at the time an event happened. Examples are letters, diaries, books, maps and some newspaper articles. Secondary sources are normally not "first-hand" knowledge or documentation; although these items do have a place in research as long as one remembers that they are "secondary" sources. Remember the old adage that history is written by the victors!
You will find articles "written" by U.S. presidents, European monarchs, explorers, and American Indians. By reading what people actually said or did, -- with the clarity of 20-20 hindsight -- a clearer picture of history emerges from which the reader can form their own conclusions. There are also contemporary articles that provide new looks at the past and present.
To help you know whether or not an article focuses on the topic you are looking for, a short introduction on each is listed on the main "Articles" page. Just click on the title of the article to get to read the rest of the story. As much as possible, these articles will be in alphabetical order and use highlighted colors to aid in your research on particular tribes.
Articles on recommended reading are categorized according to topic. For example, if you are looking for a book on Native American Indian history in general, you won't have to read through all the items in the article list to find out which books are about history. By the same token, someone looking for children's books, won't have to wade through a river of books on Native American Indian art. Some of the categories you will find as this website grows are: Art, History, Music, Myths and Legends, Spirituality, Children's books (fiction and non-fiction), Medicine, etc.
The "Recommended Reading" articles on specific types of resources will be updated frequently so you may want to bookmark your favorite categories. Suggestions are always welcome.
Using the Links
The descriptions of links at Native History are different than most others. In addition to the normal descriptions of what will be found if you "click" on a link, you'll find some mini-bites of historical fact -- especially if the link is to a particular tribe or nation. It is hoped these descriptions will not only make it clear what is found at a site, but will provide some information for those people who are new to Native American Indian research.
The links are in alphabetical order and are added to frequently. Each link has a category to aid educators. It is not our goal to have the most Native American links on the web. We look for quality, not quantity. These links are chosen by a Council of Elders and met our mission criteria at the time of placement. Please contact us if you find a broken or inappropriate link and it will be corrected or removed as needed.
About the Books
The "recommended" books on this site, (as well as any and all books recommended in articles), are chosen strictly by an article's author and/or the Native History Editorial Board. No outside influence affects these choices and only books that meet the author's or board's requirements will be recommended. The individual book titles link to their locations on the Amazon website. If a book is purchased through that link, we *may* earn a percentage of the sale (if we have enough referrals within a single month). This is one of the sources of revenue for the site. Naturally we hope you'll purchase through us, but the choice is always yours. We are most pleased if you explore what the books have to offer, regardless of whether or not you use our links to make a purchase.
