The Kickapoos: Lords of the Middle Border

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Kickapoos did not go silently into the night. Rather, they shot their way onto the pages of history, and Gibson does a good job telling their story. I did not detect any bias on the part of the author, though one must keep in mind that this book was published more than thirty years ago.

If you wish to read a book about a single Indian tribe, the Kickapoos have a history as varied and interesting as any. They first came into contact with the French in Wisconsin in the 17th century; in the 18th century they lived primarily in Illinois and Indiana; and in the 19th they separated into groups that took up residence in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and even Mexico. To this day, some remain in Mexico although most eventually -- and against their will -- were settled onto a reservation in Oklahoma. The Kickapoos survived much better than most Indian tribes. Perhaps that is attributable to their social conservatism, warlike character, and contrary nature. They do not seem to have exerted themselves at fostering positive interpersonal relationships and endearing themselves to other tribes or Whites. A Texan, comparing them to the ferocious Comanches and Apaches, said the Kickapoos were "the worst of the lot" and the most vicious, calculating, and enterprising of Indians. The Mexican Kickapoos were described as the "meanest, least civilized, and most worthless" of all the Indians. Coming from Whites, those are impressive endorsements. The prickly Kickapoos didn't get pushed around much by anyone. Macho Indians with guns and feathers are more interesting than downtrodden, doormat Indians and the Kickapoos fill the role perfectly. The author probably overestimates their historical prominence compared to other tribes such as the Shawnee, but he's compiled a fascinating history that brings the history of the tribe up to about 1910. This is an old book and readers may find it a bit politically incorrect. It's well worth a read, however, especially for the odd tale of how forest dwelling Indians from the north woods of Wisconsin came to live in the deserts of northern Mexico. Smallchief