California Indians

In the second half of the 19th century, the Euro-American citizenry of California carried out mass genocide against the Native population of their state, using the processes and mechanisms of democracy to secure land and resources for themselves and their private interests. The murder, rape, and enslavement of thousands of Native people were legitimized by notions of democracy - in this case mob rule.

Between 1846 and 1873, California's Indian population plunged from perhaps 150,000 to 30,000. Benjamin Madley is the first historian to uncover the full extent of the slaughter, the involvement of state and federal officials, the taxpayer dollars that supported the violence, indigenous resistance, who did the killing, and why the killings ended. This deeply researched book is a comprehensive and chilling history of an American genocide.

A historical non-fiction book set in California during its transformation from indigenous tribes to American statehood. Discover the rich tapestry of California's past in "Tribes and Priests Early California." This captivating exploration takes you from the ancient traditions of indigenous tribes through the tumultuous changes brought by Spanish colonization and the American gold rush. Experience the vibrant history that shaped California's unique identity, filled with ambition, cultural clashes, and the relentless pursuit of economic prosperity. The narrative intricately weaves together ...

One of the most groundbreaking and highly acclaimed titles that Heyday has published, The Ohlone Way describes the culture of the Indian people who inhabited the Bay Area prior to the arrival of Europeans. Recently included in the San Francisco Chronicle’s “Top 100 Western Non-Fiction” list, The Ohlone Way has been described by critic Pat Holt as a “mini-classic”.

This beautiful and devastating book - part tribal history, part lyric and intimate memoir - should be required for anyone seeking to learn about California Indian history, past and present. Deborah A. Miranda tells stories of her Ohlone Costanoan Esselen family as well as the experience of California Indians as a whole through oral histories, newspaper clippings, anthropological recordings, personal reflections, and poems. The result is a work of literary art that is wise, angry, and playful all at once, a compilation that will break your heart and teach you to see the world anew.

Before there was such a thing as "California," there were the People and the Land. We Are the Land is the first and most comprehensive text of its kind, centering the long history of California around the lives and legacies of the Indigenous people who shaped it. Beginning with the ethnogenesis of California Indians, this book recounts the centrality of the Native presence from before European colonization through statehood—paying particularly close attention to the persistence and activism of California Indians in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

The Yurok Tribe and an Indigenous family share a moving multigenerational story of their fight to undam the Klamath river—the largest river restoration project in history—and save the planet. Includes exclusive audio content! The Water Remembers is the story of Indigenous resistance and an...

A short story about a fictional encounter with a southern California native American youth who travels to Arizona and encounters the Mojave tribe. He is seeking the blue turquoise gemstones which are highly prized by his tribe. He wants to impress his intended bride with a gift of these beautiful stones. We follow his travels and experience his trials along the way. A good story for adults and young readers as well.

When the star players on a high school football team are accused of violence by another student, their secrets—and the secrets of their parents—threaten to shatter their entire community in a gripping novel of race, class, and privilege from the author of Members Only. “Timely and timeless...

Termed the Uncle Tom's Cabin of the southwestern Indians and the first protest novel of California, Ramona is the story of 3 cultures - Indian, Mexican, and Anglo - locked in combat. The upheaval and injustice are humanized through the romance of a beautiful half-Indian orphan who grow up as the ward of Señora Moreno in privileged surroundings, then falls in love with an Indian and joins him in a life of poverty and tragedy. The Ramona Pageant in Hemet, California, based on this romance, has played each year since 1923, reenacting the transition period between Mexican traditions and the new U.S. and state governments.

Dr. Lily Leoni may have grown up in the exclusive Wellington Estates, but she will always remain the butler’s niece, an outsider looking in. Arjun Dheer seemed like a kindred spirit until he broke her heart. Lily has moved on, but something’s amiss in her new relationship. On all counts, Arjun Dheer is a savvy businessman and entrepreneur. When a career decision threatens everything he yearns for, the only way out is marrying the wrong girl. But Arjun has never forgotten Lily. With their attraction undeniable and relationship impossible, can Lily and Arjun forge a way through the chaos ...

As a half-breed who would never belong to his tribe, he sold himself for food, shelter and survival. As the Savage Lord who would never belong to the ton, he sold himself for social acceptance. As a man with nothing left to lose, he's learned that survival doesn't mean as much as self-respect and he'll never sell himself again. Keeping that vow might cost him his heart, his soul and his future. Colt grew up under the not so tender care of the stepfather who named him "Sky Who Walks" as a permanent reminder of his blue eyes that proclaim he can never be a real warrior. Disowned by his ...

"If You See Me, Don't Say Hi bristles with unexpected meetings and reunions, recognitions and failed recognitions, passions and estrangements of all kinds. These stories have a sharp eye for the complexities of modern life, but Neel Patel writes with the wisdom and compassion of an old soul."...

An acclaimed journalist seeks to understand the mysterious allure of peacocks—and in the process discovers unexpected and valuable life lessons. 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence Longlist Selection When Sean Flynn’s neighbor in North Carolina texted “Any chance you guys want a...

When Winston Parker stopped at Sutter’s Fort on his way to a ranch, he bought in California in1846, he hadn’t counted on getting entangled in the life of Moonlight, one of Captain John Sutter’s Indian slaves. In a whirlwind of events, Winston puts off sending for the woman he asked to join him in California, once he got his ranch established. Instead, he finds himself caught up between wanting to help Moonlight’s family escape a life of slavery, or continuing on with his plans of bringing his future wife to his ranch. Love and honor hang in the balance of his decision, but will he ...

“You float through life like a piece of driftwood. Aimless. You have nothing to strive for.” Wellington Estates heiress Danielle Riley has everything her heart desires. But for the first time, she wants something she cannot have: Mike, the poor, proud, talented athlete, whose mother is working class, whose family is beneath hers. Mike Melgoza works hard for a living and bears a terrible secret, a secret that clouds his decisions, that pollutes his relationships. He mistakes Danielle’s generosity for pity, spurning her love and everything she represents. Brokenhearted, Danielle embarks...

Meander with the pantheistic reverend through several trips searching for soul, enlightenment, self-discovery, whatever you want to call places that grab your mind and your soul. This trip considers locations as diverse as Utah, Arizona, Colorado California, and Oregon, as well as Minneapolis, Washington DC and a Civil War/US Slavery Tour. Some are day trips, some are road trips, some require a few years of exploration. All stories explore ways of reaching inside and healing what's been damaged.