Commemorating Native American Heritage Month, it is a time to celebrate the traditions, languages and stories of Native American communities and ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive. This month and every month, we aim to celebrate the culture and heritage of these remarkable Americans who deeply enrich the quality and character of our Nation. Join PBS Books for a conversation with National Director Heather-Marie Montilla and esteemed scholar Ned Blackhawk, National Book Award winning author of The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History. Blackhawk’s retelling of U.S. history acknowledges the enduring power, agency, and survival of Indigenous peoples, yielding a truer account of the United States and revealing anew the varied meanings of America. Don’t miss the opportunity to gain insights about this historically transformative book from the author.
ABOUT THE BOOK: The Rediscovery of America
This astonishing book is a sweeping and overdue retelling of U.S. history that recognizes that Native Americans are essential to understanding the evolution of modern America, exploring the struggle, survival, and resurgence of American Indian nations. Ned Blackhawk interweaves five centuries of Native and non‑Native histories, from Spanish colonial exploration to the rise of Native American self-determination in the late twentieth century. In this transformative synthesis he shows that:
- European colonization in the 1600s was never a predetermined success;
- Native nations helped shape England’s crisis of empire;
- The first shots of the American Revolution were prompted by Indian affairs in the interior;
- California Indians targeted by federally funded militias were among the first casualties of the Civil War;
- The Union victory forever recalibrated Native communities across the West;
- Twentieth-century reservation activists refashioned American law and policy.
