Black Elk Speaks

About “Black Elk Speaks”

This book tells the story of Nicholas Black Elk, a visionary and healer of the Oglala Lakota, and his people during the late nineteenth century. It is a record of Lakota life, a history of a Native nation, and a spiritual testament based on Black Elk's visions of the unity of humanity and Earth. In 1930, Black Elk met the author, John Neihardt, a poet and writer, on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. He asked Neihardt to share his story with the world. This edition includes a new introduction and annotations, as well as three essays by the author and contributions from others. It also features original illustrations by Standing Bear.