Urban American Indians : reclaiming native space /

This volume in Praeger's "Native America: Yesterday and Today" series includes six original essays by the three authors (representing three disciplines) and short introductory and concluding chapters. The volume seeks "to increase the visibility of urban American Indians" and raises many questions for further research, especially for sociologists, anthropologists, and urban geographers not represented among the authors. Eschewing the assumption that, following the Indian Relocation Act of 1956, American Indians in urban settings assimilated culturally, the authors assert rather than establish the resilience of Indian communities in urban settings and their distinct political voice. Still, the authors' discussions--of a multicentury history of urban living, ties and travel between urban homes and rural homelands, urban homelessness, and child welfare--are well done. Several essays describe organizations, especially urban Indian centers, that seek to serve Indian people, channel political influence, and express the evolving identity of American Indians. Anyone interested in resurgent Indian activism will do well to know this material and recognize the significance of American Indians in urban settings. Extensive citations and a bibliography make this a useful volume for students of American Indian studies. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All academic levels/libraries. --Garth M. Massey, University of Wyoming