Black Elk Speaks

More than one million copies sold
2017 One Book One Nebraska selection “An American classic.”-Western Historical Quarterly Black Elk Speaks, the story of the Oglala Lakota visionary and healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863–1950) and his people during momentous twilight years of the nineteenth century, offers readers much more than a precious glimpse of a vanished time. Black Elk’s searing visions of the unity of humanity and Earth, conveyed by John G. Neihardt, have made this book a classic that crosses multiple genres. Whether appreciated as the poignant tale of a Lakota life, as a history of a Native nation, or as an enduring spiritual testament, Black Elk Speaks is unforgettable. Black Elk met the distinguished poet, writer, and critic John G. Neihardt in 1930 on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and asked Neihardt to share his story with the world. Neihardt understood and conveyed Black Elk’s experiences in this powerful and inspirational message for all humankind.
 
This complete edition features a new introduction by historian Philip J. Deloria and annotations of Black Elk’s story by renowned Lakota scholar Raymond J. DeMallie. Three essays by John G. Neihardt provide background on this landmark work along with pieces by Vine Deloria Jr., Raymond J. DeMallie, Alexis Petri, and Lori Utecht. Maps, original illustrations by Standing Bear, and a set of appendixes rounds out the edition. 

John G. Neihardt (1881–1973) is the author of several classics, including A Cycle of the West and Eagle Voice Remembers, both available in Bison Books editions. He was named Nebraska’s first poet laureate and foremost poet of the nation by the National Poetry Center in 1936.

Maps Foreword Preface to the 1932 Edition Preface to the 1961 Edition Preface to the 1972 Edition Introduction by Philip J. Deloria National and International Honors Received by John G. Neihardt Black Elk Speaks 1. The Offering of the Pipe 2. Early Boyhood 3. The Great Vision 4. The Bison Hunt 5. At the Soldiers' Town 6. High Horse's Courting 7. Wasichus in the Hills 8. The Fight with Three Stars 9. The Rubbing Out of Long Hair 10. Walking the Black Road 11. The Killing of Crazy Horse 12. Grandmother's Land 13. The Compelling Fear 14. The Horse Dance 15. The Dog Vision 16. Heyoka Ceremony 17. The First Cure 18. The Powers of the Bison and the Elk 19. Across the Big Water 20. The Spirit Journey 21. The Messiah 22. Visions of the Other World 23. Bad Trouble Coming 24. The Butchering at Wounded Knee 25. The End of the Dream 26. Author's Postscript Appendixes 1. Gallery of Photographs 2. Gallery of the Drawings by Standing Bear, Black Elk's Friend 3. Transcript of Letter from John G. Neihardt to Nick Black Elk, November 6, 1930 4. Transcript of Letter from John G. Neihardt to Julius House, August 10, 1930 5. "A Great Indian Poet" from Of Making Many Books, June 20, 1931 6. "John G. Neihardt and Nicholas Black Elk" by Raymond J. DeMallie 7. "John G. Neihardt beyond Black Elk" by Alexis N. Petri 8. "Neihardt and Black Elk" by Lori Utecht 9. Comparison of the Transcript and Draft of "Origin of the Peace Pipe" 10. Lakota Words Used in the Text Notes References Index