Black Elk Speaks

About This Book

This is the story of the Oglala Lakota visionary and healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863-1950) and his people during momentous twilight years of the nineteenth century. It is at once a tale of Lakota life, a history of a Native nation, and an enduring spiritual testament, wherein the author conveys Black Elk's searing visions of the unity of humanity and Earth. Black Elk met the author, a distinguished poet, writer, and critic in 1930 on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and asked him to share his story with the world. This complete edition features a new introduction and annotations of Black Elk's story. Three essays by the author provide background, along with other pieces by contributors, as well as original illustrations by Standing Bear..