A Guide
to the
Cherokee History Sources
at Bizzell Library
This guide was designed
specifically for those wanting historical information on the
Cherokee Indians and their tribe. Some
of these sources deal with just the Western Cherokee Tribe of
Oklahoma and others deal with the Cherokee tribe before there
were two tribes split by removal. This guide is not meant to be a comprehensive
bibliography. This guide does not attempt to represent all of the native peoples and
tribes in this or any other country. This website is here to guide
you in your search on Cherokee History. All sources listed here are available
in the Bizzell Memorial Library
unless noted otherwise.
Further research materials on Cherokee
History can be found in the
Western History Collections.
Click on one of the Words below to bring you sources on that topic:
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Introduction to Topic
The World Book Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. Chicago: World Book, Inc. 1993.
Bizzell Call Number: AE 5.W55 1993 v. 3 This encyclopedia is located
in the Reference section of the Bizzell Main Library.
Cherokee can be found listed in volume 3 "C-Ch" of the World Book. This source will give an
overview of the history of the Cherokee people in a broad sense. This would
be a good place to get an idea of your subject.
Catalog (Subject headings and call numbers)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (this is not a comprehensive list)
Cherokee Indians
Cherokee Indians--Relocation
Cherokee Indians--Government relations
Cherokee Indians--Law
Five Civilized Tribes
Indians of North America
Indians of North America--Oklahoma
Indians of North America--History
Library of Congress
Call Numbers are listed below so that you can browse the shelves:
E77-E99 Indians of North America
E 77 Indians of North America--History
E 99.c5 Cherokee Indians
Reference Books
All of the reference books listed below can be found in the
Reference section of Bizzell Library. The Reference section is located on the main floor
in the west end of the library across from the Circulation Desk. The materials
located in the Reference section are In-Library use only and cannot be checked out.
The Native North American Almanac: A Reference Work on
Native North Americans in the United States and Canada. 2nd ed. Edited by
Duane Champagne. Detroit: Gale Group. 2001.
Bizzell Call Number: E 77.N374 2001
In this almanac you can look up Cherokees in the Subject Index. This book
gives a brief overview of the Cherokee tribe. However, the book also has
a general bibliography and glossary, along with the subject index. Also, the almanac
covers a broad range of topics dealing with Native North Americans from History to
Activism to Gender Relations. This almanac is a good place to look for general information
on various topics related to different tribes.
Native America in the Twentieth Century: An Encyclopedia. Edited by
Mary B. Davis. New York: Garland Publishing, Inc. 1994. Bizzell Call Number:
E 76.2 N36 1994 c.3.
Cherokee information can be located in this encyclopedia using the index at the back
of the book. However, the book is also arranged alphabetically. There is information
on both the Western and Eastern Bands of Cherokee, along with a "Further Reading" list.
Looking at the index under Cherokee, one can also find information located
under other entries in the encyclopedia.
The Gale Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes. Vol. 1. Edited by
Sharon Malinowski and Anna Sheets. Detroit: Gale, Inc. 1998. Bizzell Call Number:
E 77.G35 1998 v.1
This encyclopedia has four volumes. Information on Cherokees can be found in volume I:
Northeast, Southeast, and Caribbean. The book is arranged alphabetically according
to their historical region; therefore Cherokee can be found under "C" in the Southeast
section. Cherokee has an extensive entry with timelines and pictures, as well
as a bibliography and further reading list. Topics covered range from
history to religion to buildings. There is also a cumulative index in the back
of the book, covering all four volumes.
Biographical Dictionary of American Indian History to
1900. rev. ed. Edited by Carl Waldman. Facts on File. 2001. Bizzell Call Number:
E 89.W35 2001
Using this biographical dictionary, you can search
alphabetically by name. You can also
look up names under "Cherokee" in the index. There are about 30 Cherokee people listed.
This dictionary does not cover biographical information on contemporary notable Cherokees;
it only covers historical figures to 1900. This dictionary covers Native Americans from
various tribes as well as non-Native Americans who had relationships with Native American
tribes.
Notable Native Americans. Edited by Sharon Malinowski. New York: Gale
Research Inc. 1995. Bizzell Call Number: E 89.N67 1995
This book covers historical and current
notable Native Americans. In the front of the book there is a list of entries by Tribal Groups
and Nations. It is here that you can locate who in this book is Cherokee. The book is arranged
alphabetically and you can also look up Cherokee in the subject index at the
back of the book.
Reference Encyclopedia of the American Indian. 9th ed. Edited by
Barry Klein. Nyack, New York: Todd Publications. 2000 Bizzell Call Number: E 76.2.R4 2000
This book can be located in the Reference Collection of the Bizzell Main library. The book
is arranged solely by sections. There is no index to help you in your search. However,
there is a lot of resource material listed here, such as: tribal addresses, audiovisual aids,
Native American events, financial aid, etc. This is a reference book full of more sources for
research.
Books (Fiction and Non-Fiction)
Non-Fiction
Ballenger, Thomas Lee. Around Tahlequah Council Fires. Oklahoma City, OK: Cherokee
Publishing Company, inc. 1945.
Bizzell Call Number: 976.6 B21a
Cherokee Removal: before and after. ed. by William L. Anderson. Athens:
University of Georgia Press. 1991.
Bizzell Call Number: E 99 .C5 D52
McLoughlin, William Gerald. After the Trail of Tears: the
Cherokees' struggle for sovereignty, 1839-1880. Chapel Hill: University of North
Carolina Press. 1993.
Bizzell Call Number: E 99 .C5 M388 1993
Mails, Thomas E. The Cherokee people: The story of the Cherokees from the earliest
origins to contemporary times. Tulsa, OK: Council Oak Books. 1992.
Bizzell Call Number: E 99.C5 M28 1992
Mooney, James. Historical sketch of the Cherokee. Chicago: Aldine Pub.Co. 1975.
Bizzell Call Number: E 99.C5 M773 1975
Starr, Emmet. Starr's History of the Cherokee Indians. ed. by Jack Gregory and
Rennard Strickland. Fayetteville, AR: Indian Heritage Association. 1967.
Bizzell Call Number: E 99 .C5 S8 1967
Sturm, Circe. Blood politics: race, culture, and identity in the Cherokee Nation
of Oklahoma. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. 2002.
Bizzell Call Number: E99.C5 2002
Fiction
"The Real People" series by Robert Conley is highly recommended reading.
They are fiction books, but they give you a good understanding of Cherokee history
before contact and right after contact. These books put this history into a
structure that allows one to see how it affected day to day life. The books listed
below are found on the 3rd floor of Bizzell Library.
Conley, Robert J. The Way of the priests. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.
1992.
Bizzell Call Number: PS 3553.O494 W3 2000 cop.1
Conley, Robert J. The Dark way. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. 2000.
Bizzell Call Number: PS 3553.O494 D37 2000 cop.1
Conley, Robert J. The White path. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. 1993.
Bizzell Call Number: PS 3553.O494 2000 cop.1
Conley, Robert J. The Way south. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. 1994.
Bizzell Call Number: PS 3553.O494 W34 2000 cop.1
Conley, Robert J. The Long way home. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. 2000.
Bizzell Call Number: PS 3553.O494 L66 2000 cop.1
Conley, Robert J. The Dark island. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. 1995.
Bizzell Call Number: PS 3553.O494 D36 2000 cop.1
Conley, Robert J. The War trail north. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. 2000.
Bizzell Call Number: PS 3553.O494 W28 2000 cop.1
Conley, Robert J. War woman: a novel of the real people. Norman: University of
Oklahoma Press. 2001.
Bizzell Call Number: PS 3553.O494 W29 cop.1
Conley, Robert J. The Peace chief: a novel of the real people. Norman: University
of Oklahoma Press. 2001. Bizzell Call Number: PS 3553.O494 P4 2001 cop.1
Conley, Robert J. Cherokee Dragon: a novel of the Real People. Norman: University
of Oklahoma Press. 2001.
Bizzell Call Number: PS 3553.O494 C47 2001 cop.1
Periodical indexes
Several indexes can be accessed using LORA (Library Online Resource Access) through the OU Libraries
Home Page.You can access this site by selecting LORA on the OU Libraries Home page.
You can search by subject, so select "Native American Studies" and click
"Search". This will take you to the "LORA Search Results". From here select "Databases"
by clicking on this term. Here is a list of some of the database indexes you can select and
how to use them.
BNNA (Bibliography of Native North Americans)
This resource indexes books, journal articles, government documents, etc. related
to Native Americans.
When you click on BNNA from the Library Webpage it brings you to
another webpage that
has a database menu. In the database menu you will select Biblio.
of Native N. Americans, then click
the Start Searching button located in the upper right hand corner
of the screen. From this
screen you can do a simple or advanced search.
If
you are unsure of a term
that you are searching with, you can click on Thesaurus and type
in your term. The Thesaurus will
then tell you the equivalent terms the index uses. You can also mark a subject heading from the Thesaurus
and click Search Marked. This allows you to search with the subject headings found without having to go back to the search screen.
For your search on Cherokee History, this index uses only the
word "Cherokee" as a
subject heading. However, you can search using other words such as, but not limited to: Cherokee history,
Trail of Tears, and Cherokee culture. You will return the most
results if you choose the Subject Heading of
Cherokee. Once you have found the records you want to use, you can print, save, or email them.
Ethnic Newswatch (FirstSearch)
This is an index to minority and ethnic newspapers, magazines, and periodicals. This is a really great source for information on Cherokees.
When you click on Ethnic Newswatch it brings you to the First Search page. It will automatically
select Ethnic Newswatch as your database to search. You can either use the simple
search or select the advanced search option on the menu on the left side of the screen.
You can also browse the index to look for keywords to search by. I recommend using "Cherokee"
or "Cherokees" as keywords to search. Most of these articles have full text that can be accessed.
America: History and Life This resource indexes journals on the history and culture
of the United States, including Cherokee history. The sources in this index cover the present day to prehistoric times.
When you click on this link it brings you to a page that says ABC_CLIO. On this page click
where it says "Click here to access your subscription". Then click on the blue button that says "America: History
and Life". You can then search using a simple or advanced search option. I suggest using the keyword "Cherokee" for the
simple search. In the Advanced search option, I suggest using "Cherokee" as the keyword and "history" as the subject word. When you
have found a source you want to use, you can then "tag" it and email or print the abstract.
Journal articles
Here is a sample of journal articles that you can find using the above Periodical
Indexes. These are not necessarily the best articles and this is not meant to be
a comprehensive list, these are only examples.
Two examples from BNNA (Bibliography of Native North Americans):
Williams, Walter L. "Cherokee history: an analysis of recent studies". American Indian
Quarterly . 1979 5(4):347-54.
Palmer, Jay W. "The prehistoric migrations of the Cherokee". North American archaeologist
. 1994 15(1): 31-52.
Two examples from Ethnic Newswatch:
Allen, Richard. "Tracing the Roots of Cherokee Citizenship" Native Americas
. (06-30-2002) XIX(1-2): 12.
Pierpoint, Mary. "Cherokee Horse Listener Uses Spirituality and Tradition to Train Horses". The Native Voice
. (08-01-2002) 1(10): 5.
Two examples from America: History and Life:
Remini, Robert V. "Andrew Jackson Versus the Cherokee Nation". American History
. 2001 36(3):48-56.
Perdue, Theda. "Clan and Court: Another look at the
early Cherokee Republic". American Indian Quarterly
. 2000 24(4):562-569.
Proceedings, reports, government documents
Here is a list of some online government documents that will help you in your
search on Cherokee History:
This is a link to the Cherokee Nation Government. On this page you
can look at the Executive, Legislative, or Judicial branch. You can also look at status reports, council minutes,
legislative acts, resolutions, etc. This is a great source for Cherokee Nation government documents.
The U.S. Census Bureau is a wealth of information if you are looking for numbers. They have a page on American Indian population where you
can look at various data tables based on the 1990 federal census. These data tables contain information on
languages, housing, economic factors. Most of these tables deal with the top 25 American Indian tribes by population.
The Cherokee tribe is among those listed.
Some government document information on the Cherokees is located in the
Government Documents section on the 4th floor of Bizzell. Examples of the sources you can
find there are:
A brief list of references to the music of the Cherokee Indians. Library of Congress
, Archive of Folk Song. Washington D.C. 1970.
Gov Docs Call Number: LC 1.12/2:C 42/2
Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma claims against U.S. judgment. United States. 1983.
Gov Docs Call Number: GS 4.110:97-385
Dykeman, Wilma.Highland homeland: the people of the Great Smokies. Washington:
Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Division of Publications. 1978.
Gov Docs Call Number: I 29.58/2: H53
Hendrix, Janey B. Traditional Cherokee food: text and illustrations. Park Hill, OK:
Cross Cultural Education Center. 1982.
Gov Docs Call Number: ED 1.31012:264987
Websites
When looking at a particular tribe's history it is always important to go
to the actual tribal website (if available). The
Cherokee Nation website has information on various aspects of the tribe,
including history. This link will take you to their homepage
Another link available on the Cherokee Nation website is
Cherokee Nation History. At this page you
can download and listen to Cherokee Nation History being read to you with Cherokee music
in the background.
The Cherokee Nation also has a page with various History Topics such as Historical Facts, Biographies,
Chiefs, Historical Events, Historical Sites, and Trail of Tears Era. Through the Historical
Events link you can find treaties as well.
Here is the link to a History of the Cherokee page. This page has
such information as history, images and maps, genealogy, books and newspapers, and related
links.
Theses
There are some wonderful theses available at Bizzell in the Main Reading Room
which is located on the second floor of the old part of the library.
Some of the theses available are listed below:
Fullerton, Eula E. "Some social institutions of the Cherokees, 1820-1906". 1931.
OU THESIS FUL
Kelton, Paul. "The ascendancy and survival of the Cherokee nation to 1759". 1994.
OU THESIS KEL
Leeds, Georgia Rae. "The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma:
1950 to the present". 1992.
OU THESIS LEE
Lindsey, Virginia Lee. "History of the western Cherokees. 1936.
OU THESIS LIN
Myers, Donna J. "The Nighthawk Keetoowah Society: symbols of identity". 1996.
OU
THESIS MYE
Tucker, Norman Jean. "Before the Trail of Tears: an ethnohistory of the Cherokee
Indians". 1972.
OU THESIS TUC
Welsh, Louise. "The development of law and order in the Cherokee Nation, 1838-1907"
1932.
OU THESIS WEL
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