Untold American Stories that Matter

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The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee

by David Treuer

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Summary: This book dives into the untold truths of Native American tribes following the Wounded Knee Massacre, where the United States military battled the Lakota Sioux tribe, resulting in the deaths of up to 300 Lakota people. It explores personal stories from Native people and historical events that happen well into the 1900s and even up to the present.

Recommendation: When I was in school, I never learned much about the Native American people after the 1800s. This nonfiction book is a refreshing reminder that Native American culture and civilization is still very present and important well after 1890. If you’re searching for a book about different cultures and their hidden stories, this is a great read.

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Flee North

by Scott Shane

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Summary: Flee North is an inspiring story about a slave named Thomas Smallwood who bought his own freedom and dedicated his life to helping other slaves ‘flee north’. Coining the term “Underground railroad”, he partnered with a white activist and helped over 400 people escape slavery, despite the threat of dangerous slave traders trying to take him down.

Recommendation: This is the perfect book if you’re looking for a real-life hero’s story that hasn’t been told nearly as many times as other famous abolitionists. While stories such as Harriet Tubman’s are equally as important, Smallwood’s provides a different perspective. I highly recommend this book if the Civil War and history of African American culture interest you.

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Black Wall Street: from Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District

by Hannibal B. Johnson

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Summary: This book explores the important African American history of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street. Detailing the events of the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 and the prosperous African American businesses that flourished in the following years to rebuild the Greenwood district, this book tells a story that isn’t often brought up in your average history lesson.

Recommendation: This book originally caught my attention because I had never heard of a Black Wall Street. In a part of our history where the wealthy were predominantly white, this book gives great insight into the renaissance of the area. Similar to the previous book mentioned, if you’re interested in lesser-known African American history, this is an interesting read.

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Code Girls

by Liza Mundy

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Summary: Code Girls tells the true story of the thousands of women who were hired during World War II as code breakers. Their dedicated work helped to end the war early and save countless lives. Their stories were nearly left untold due to a strict vow of secrecy they had to take, but now, Code Girls gives these women the spotlight that they have deserved for years.

Recommendation: I would highly recommend this book if you are interested in empowering female stories. Women are present everywhere in United States history, but sometimes their stories are not as well known. It’s interesting to think about how different our history would be without these women.

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The Woman They Could Not Silence

by: Kate Moore

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Summary: This book follows the story of Elizabeth Packard, a woman who was wrongfully committed to a mental asylum for three years by her husband. It describes her own battle for freedom, as well as her battle for the freedom of other women wrongfully committed. Not only did she push for the rights of married women, but also the rights of mentally ill patients, having seen first hand how they are treated.

Recommendation: This story stood out to me because it is both heartbreaking and inspiring. It made me sad to read her personal story, but it was inspiring to read that one woman’s resilience made such an impact. Similar to the book above, this is the perfect read if you’re looking for lesser-known stories of real-life heroines.

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