Lincoln, Nebraska Jan 27, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - Joe Starita's compelling new book, "I Am a Man": Chief Standing Bear's Journey for Justice, revisits a painful chapter of American history with clarity, compassion, and legal drama. The book follows Standing Bear and the Ponca tribe after their forced removal in 1877, tracing a six-hundred-mile walk to return a son's body to their ancestral land and to reclaim their dignity against a government that had violated treaties and disregarded human rights.
Starita combines meticulous research with vivid storytelling to shed light on the Ponca's suffering, which included disease, starvation, oppression, and their resilience. Readers will come to know Standing Bear not as a distant figure in a textbook but as a grieving father, a determined leader, and a strategic litigator who used habeas corpus to force a federal court to acknowledge Native humanity and rights. The narrative examines issues such as land swaps, broken promises, and the legal consequences that reshaped notions of citizenship and constitutional protection.
This book is more than just a historical account; it serves as a reflection on identity, democracy, and moral courage. Starita frames Standing Bear's victory as a moment when the nation's checks and balances worked as intended, while also asking whether American democracy can reconcile native sovereignty with its founding ideals. The book honors Ponca cultural survival and the Christian kindness and shared strength that sustained them.
Perfect for readers of Native American history, legal history, and anyone drawn to stories of justice won against long odds, I Am a Man promises both heartbreak and hope. Joe Starita, based in Lincoln, Nebraska, offers a narrative that educates, moves, and compels action.
Get a copy and witness a story that still speaks to twenty-first-century America.
https://www.amazon.com/Am-Man-Standing-Journey-Justice/dp/0312606389
For author events and interviews, contact Joe Starita's Lincoln publicist or visit the publisher's website today.
https://www.joestaritabooks.com/
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