The story of American Indians is an arguably sad and tragic tale of the conquest, degradation, oppression and near extermination of the Native peoples of North America, all driven by a virulent and violent racism that courses through U.S. history. From slavery, genocide and removal from their traditional ecologies to incarceration on barren and isolated reservations, cultural annihilation, disease and despair, they have suffered much since the arrival of European colonists. And yet, they have endured and even triumphed, albeit in unexpected and surprising ways. , Keith Burich meets Native people where they live, sharing their narrative in a profoundly stirring way. An emeritus professor of history at Canisius College, Burich uses his experiences and observations to trace the poverty, deprivation, discrimination and inequities of the present to the racial hatred and violence that invaded North America in 1500. Having spent 25 years in Indian Country, he has seen the worst of the Indians' plight. Injustices notwithstanding, he has likewise witnessed firsthand the beauty, resilience, courage and compassion of America's First People. is a must-read for anyone who wants to better comprehend the power of the human spirit and the unique and tumultuous history of the United States.