In the late nineteenth century the U.S. government attempted to reshape Lakota (Sioux) society to accord with American ideals. Catherine Price charts the political strategies employed by Oglala councilors as they struggled to preserve their autonomy.

Catherine Price is an assistant professor in social and behavioral sciences at Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas.

"A nuanced and insightful analysis."—Journal of American History

"Price has added a new dimension by analyzing Oglala internal political structure. She offers insight into how [the Oglalas] sought to cope with the enormous external pressures from the federal government. Well-known personalities like Red Cloud, moreover, are portrayed from the Oglala perspective. . . . Price’s study is a helpful corrective to the traditional approach in its attempt to portray active Oglala political participation on their own behalf."—Choice

"[The] reconstruction of Oglala political customs is the book’s strength. . . . The way in which Lakota leaders, especially Red Cloud, made (or refused to make) decisions puzzled and stymied government officials—and later historians—in their quest for command decisions and consistent behavior. Price goes far to explain such inconsistencies, brings order out of the factionalist chaos, and shows decisions were not as incongruous as they might appear. The result is scholarly and a breath of fresh air."—Western Historical Quarterly