23.02.17
In order to understand bury my heart at wounded knee, the context of the author first needs to be understood. Therefore taking the format of my study notes for historians i have looked at dee brown and his approach to history.
- Who are the historians:
identity
biographical details
- Born 1908
- Died 2002
- Occupations: writer, historian, librarian (critical to work as historian, allowed him to research primary sources such as indian treaties in their own words)
philosophy of history
- For the reader to understand the present circumstances of mistreated people by knowing what happened to them. Know the past to understand present.
approaches to the construction of history
- Evidence based
bias
- Focus on native american viewpoint.
context
gender: male
Ethnicity: american - not native indian
Time: 20th century, BMH written 1970s
Place: america, little rock
"Dee Brown was a born historian. He found things that nobody else ever had, and brought things to life that would've remained buried for centuries—if not forever." (Dick Cavett) 1
- What are the aims and purposes of history:
The aims and purposes of specific historical debates
- Dee brown focuses on the 1840s america and the conflicts between the indians and settlers.
- “History was so important to him. He just wanted it to be told right - to dispel the myth of the west and instead build something real” (linda brown - daughter) 2
Changing interpretations and perspectives of the aims and purposes of history
- History should be a tool to understand the injustices of today.
- How has history been constructed and recorded overtime:
Changing methods of historians
- Brown uses an evidence based approach, using the accounts of native americans and white american to depict the story of what happened.
- He does not uses it with his own opinion, merely states the evidence he has found.
How historians work
- Uses library experience to access: records, accounts and archives.
- Writes for academic audience
- Writes about social and national concerns
Types of history:
- Dee brown uses
- Council records
- Authobiographies
- First hand descriptions
- Researched in national libraries
- Interviewed native americans
- Why have approaches to history changed overtime:
The availability of the historical evidence
- As a librarian he was able to access first hand accounts in archives.
The context of historians
- During 1968, a tribe of native americans identifying as the indians of all tribes occupied alcatraz island in a demonstration of the rights of native americans. With this growing awareness of indian mistreatment, dee brown wrote bury my heart. 3
Changing interpretations and perspectives about approaches to the construction of history
Changing philosophies of history *unclear on the 1970s period, need to ask mr wright.
1 Dee Brown, [online video] , 17.06.13, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf4iadqaolA (accessed 23.02.27)
2 Dee Brown, [online video], 17.06.13, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf4iadqaolA (accessed 23.02.27)
3 C Hartmann, 1969: ‘Indians of All Tribes’ group occupies Alcatraz Island, [website], 2011, https://www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices/timeline/520.html (accessed 25.02.17)
