“The Southeastern Indian people found their voices in this work. They are alive and well—still on their land!”—Hiram F. Gregory, coauthor of The Historic Indian Tribes of Louisiana: From 1542 to the Present   “This collection fills a major void in our understanding of recent southern history by offering a wide-ranging selection of southern Indians a chance to speak for themselves, unfiltered, as they strike at the heart of identity: Indian identity, southern identity, and, ultimately, American identity.”—Greg O’Brien, editor of Pre-removal Choctaw History: Exploring New Paths   The history of Native Americans in the U.S. South is a turbulent one, rife with conflict and inequality. Since the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the fifteenth century, Native peoples have struggled to maintain their land, cultures, and ways of life. In We Will Always Be Here , contemporary tribal leaders, educators, and activists speak about their own experiences fighting for Indian identity, self-determination, cultural survival, and community development. This valuable collection portrays the lives of today’s Southern Indians in their own words. Reflecting on such issues as poverty, education, racism, cultural preservation, and tribal sovereignty, the contributors to this volume offer a glimpse into the historical struggles of southern Native peoples, examine their present-day efforts, and share their hopes for the future. They also share examples of cultural practices that have either endured or been revitalized. In a country that still faces challenges to civil rights and misconceptions about Indian identity and tribal sovereignty, this timely book builds a deeper understanding of modern Native peoples within a region where they are often overlooked.   Contributors: Nanette Sconiers Pupalaikis
Stan Cartwright
Patricia Easterwood
Wanda Light Tully
Framon Weaver
Nancy Wright Carnley
Otha Martin
Marie Martin
Pauline Martin
Nathan Martin
Karla Martin
Kaci Martin
Marvin T. Jones
Shoshone Peguese-Elmardi
Lars Adams
Doug Patterson
Kenneth Adams
Hodalee Scott Sewell
Tony Mack McClure
Cedric Sunray
Brooke Bauer
Donna Pierite
Jean-Luc Pierite
Elisabeth Pierite-Mora
Harold Comby
Tom Hendrix
Michael "T. Mayheart" Dardar
Marcus Briggs-Cloud
Marvin "Marty" Richardson
Dana Chapman Masters
Robert Jumper
Robert Caldwell
Megan Young
Jessica Osceola
Ernest Sickey
Jeanette Alcon
Charles “Chuckie” Verdin
Phyliss J. Anderson
David Sickey
Stephanie Bryan
Malinda Maynor Lowery
Ahli-sha Stephens
Elliott Nichols “This moving anthology . . . reveal[s] the richness and variety of Native American life in the South during the 20th century.”― Choice “Essential. . . . These are stories of persistence in the face of incredible opposition and difficulty, of personal strength and community resilience despite racism and poverty, stories demonstrating how Native people have always relied on one another―what we called ‘making do’―regardless of their tribal status.”― Native American and Indigenous Studies Denise E. Bates is an historian and assistant professor in leadership and interdisciplinary studies at Arizona State University. She is the author of The Other Movement: Indian Rights and Civil Rights in the Deep South .