Ballad to a Massacre: Private Prather's Portrait of Wounded Knee
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| Type: | Library or Collection |
| Grade Level: | Secondary, Post-secondary |
Author: Center for History and New Media/American Social History Project
Subject: Humanities
Institution Name:
American Social History Project/Center for History and New Media
Collection Name: Many Pasts (CHNM/ASHP)
Abstract: In 1888 Plains Indians enacted a religious ritual seeking delivery from white domination, which took the form of a five-night dance (dubbed the "Ghost Dance" by whites). Two years later, the U.S. Army extinguished this vision of hope and defiance at the battle at Wounded Knee Creek on December 29, 1890. W. H. Prather, an African-American private in the Ninth Cavalry and the regimental poet, wrote "The Indian Ghost Dance and War," which recounted in ballad form the military's perspective on the massacre at Wounded Knee. Prather's song, which became a favorite among the troops, celebrated an event that American Indians would long view as a great tragedy and injustice.
Details
Specific
Types of Materials: Teaching and Learning Strategies
Language: English
Conditions of Use: No License
