The Longest Trail

Starred review from September 15, 2015

Josephy (Lewis and Clark Through Indian Eyes) became interested in American Indian history in 1944 after encountering Dine-speaking code talkers in Guam. The early 1950s found him in the Pacific Northwest exploring the experiences of the Nez Perce, which he documented in several books. His work was revolutionary in that he was writing about the many influences that native peoples had on the nation's history for decades before mainstream historians began acknowledging in the historiography that American Indians played any role in the country's development. The author used his research to not only educate but advance native causes such as fishing and water rights. His opinion on Native American issues was so valued that he advised members of both the John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon administrations on related matters. This work reprints his most influential writings, many of which were either previously unavailable or difficult to locate. Through this work, one can trace the evolution of Native American activism from the 1950s to the early 21st century. VERDICT Essential for anyone interested in contemporary Native American history and culture and should be read alongside Josephy's autobiography A Walk Toward Oregon: A Memoir.--John R. Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY

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