A Century of Dishonor (1884) is a work of nonfiction by Helen Hunt Jackson. Inspired by a speech given by Ponca chief Standing Bear in Boston- A Century of Dishonor attempts to reckon with the genocide and displacement of Native Americans and the passage of Indian Appropriations Act of 1871. At her own expense- Hunt Jackson sent copies of the book to every member of Congress- hoping to convince them to amend official government policies and to end the mistreatment of indigenous peoples across the country. Largely dismissed upon publication- the book managed to galvanize a minority of white Americans in solidarity with Native people nationwide and led to some minor government reforms. After meeting Standing Bear in 1879- Hunt Jackson spent months at Manhattan’s Astor Library to compile research on the treatment of Native Americans. Using government reports and personal testimonies- she weaves a story of seven tribes whose treaties with the United States were broken- who were removed from their ancestral lands- and whose people were massacred by settlers and military forces. She provides background on the histories and cultures of the Delaware- Cheyenne- Nez Perce- Sioux- Ponca- Winnebago- and Cherokee peoples- arguing that their way of life had a vital impact on the formation of the United States. Crucially- she cites statistics directly from the War Department and the Department of Interior which show that the government openly pursued a campaign of violence against Native Americans. She argues: “It makes little difference- however- where one opens the record of the history of the Indians; every page and every year has its dark stain.” Providing the incontrovertible facts of the nation’s actions- its dishonorable conduct- she demands not just answers- but change. That her activism was largely ignored remains tragic. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript- this edition of Helen Hunt Jackson’s A Century of Dishonor is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.