



Joy Harjo, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is the current US poet laureate and became, with her 2019 election, the first Indigenous writer to ever hold that title. While the second round of Native American Renaissance still grappled with the question of identity, this next generation of Native American authors promoted a more integrated experience in which the reservation and the outside world can coexist. It also proposes a new framework for better understanding the history of colonialism in the United States. Pivotal in drawing attention to Native American socio-political issues alongside the Alcatraz-Red Power Movement, this book implores white people to challenge the racist stereotypes they hold about Indigenous peoples. Start with: Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto This work continues in his impressive bibliography as an author, which includes a number of non-fiction titles on Native American education, religion and politics.

spent most of his career tirelessly advocating for the rights of Native American peoples. As the executive director of the National Congress of American Indians and a key board member of the National Museum of the American Indian, Deloria Jr. was a prominent activist and writer belonging to the Standing Rock reservation in South Dakota. Pro-tip: the list is organized chronologically, so you can feel free to pick and mix from the eras that interest you. Scott Momaday to big hitters like the current poet laureate Joy Harjo and emerging voices like Tommy Orange. In this list, we’ve put together the best Native American authors to give you a headstart, from renaissance titans like James Welch and N. Though the Native American experience takes many forms in writing- a testament to the variety and complexity of Indigenous realities - what does unite these authors is a resounding rejection of whitewashed stereotypes. Most recently, the events at Standing Rock in 2016 and the tumult of the Trump era have inspired a new generation of Native American voices to pick up the baton and produce brilliant, incisive writing that confront important questions of identity. Subsequent social changes have further catalysed waves of Indigenous writing, as Native American writers grapple with increasing urbanisation and integration into mainstream America. Thankfully, things are different now: due to the political transformations of the 60s and 70s, Indigenous voices have started reaching a far larger audience. Prior to 1968, only nine novels by Native American authors had been published in the US and Canada. 40 Best Native American Authors to Read in 2023
