The Prairie People: Continuity and Change in Potawatomi Indian Culture, 1665-1965

“This study of the Potawatomi Indians begins in the dim corridors of the prehistoric past and discusses the history and social evolution of these people down to the mid-1960's. In doing so the author includes much that is significant about the history and development of the Midwest and about American-Indian relations…A model of excellence for the ethnohistory of a single tribe…In sum, this book gives the story of the Potawatomi people with accuracy, interest, and feeling.”—Wisconsin Magazine of History

“A tour de force…A significant feature of this absorbing account of the prairie band is that Clifton has virtually written a history of the clashes between French, British, and American interests for control of lands and furs in the northern woodlands. Additionally, as we follow the various migrations of the prairie Potawatomi, we are given a fascinating picture of the federal government's role in 19th-century Indian affairs. Finally, from Clifton's personal experience with the Kansas Potawatomi, we come to appreciate better the complexity of recent circumstances facing these Native Americans.”—Choice