The American Indian Ghost Dance, 1870 and 1890

Abstract

The Ghost Dance Movements of 1868-72 and 1888-91 have fascinated historians, sociologists, and anthropologists since the time they first occurred. Embraced by American Indians of the Plains, Great Basin, and the Northwest Plateau, the religion of the Ghost Dance promised that all dead families and friends would return, the white men would disappear, and buffalo and other game would again roam the earth. The message spread quickly and, particularly between 1889 and 1891, had the effect of uniting many hitherto scattered tribes. Materials concerning the Ghost Dance movements are available from many sources, among them the American Indians, the military, settlers, newspaper reporters, and subsequent historians. Shelley Anne Osterreich has collected and annotated a selection of this material. Included are most of the major works on the Ghost Dance and its attendant features. Osterreich's bibliography will contribute significantly to our ability to understand the ultimate effect of the Ghost Dance and what lessons we can learn from this period of cultural upheaval and intense suffering.