23.02.17 - short study notes of dee brown

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)