Black Elk Speaks

Black Elk is the protagonist of the book, which is presented as a transcription of stories told by Black Elk to the author. The narrative begins with Black Elk as a young boy and follows Black Elk’s life up to the age of 27, when the Wounded Knee Massacre occurs. Black Elk is a member of the Ogalala band of Lakota Native Americans, who live around the Black Hills mountains in present-day South Dakota. When Black Elk is nine years old, he has a powerful “great vision” that involves Black Elk meeting with six spiritual Grandfathers (16). As spirits take Black Elk to the “center of the earth,” Black Elk is gifted several powers with which Black Elk is meant to help heal his suffering nation (20).

For years, Black Elk keeps his vision a secret, assuming that no one would believe him. As Black Elk grows into a teenager, the Wasichus (or white people) continually pursue and attack the Lakota, hoping to gain control over the lucrative Black Hills. As his people’s livelihoods continually deteriorate, Black Elk becomes convinced of the necessity to act upon his vision, though he is deeply afraid, as he is unsure how to help his people. Finally, Black Elk confesses his vision to a medicine man, who convinces Black Elk that he must perform his vision in a ceremony to the rest of the Lakota people.

Following the ceremony, Black Elk gains the power to heal sick Lakota people. Black Elk decides to join a traveling Native American show, hoping to see and better understand Wasichu society. The show travels to Europe, where Black Elk becomes stranded for several months. When Black Elk finally returns to Pine Ridge, he finds his people starving and suffering more than ever. Black Elk joins the growing ghost dance movement, which hopes to bring about a new world through spiritual dancing ceremonies. The Wasichu are frightened by this movement and begin cracking down and attacking the ghost dancers. The resulting Wounded Knee Massacre leads to Black Elk becoming deeply enraged and hoping to seek revenge for the murdered Lakota. However, Black Elk is convinced to surrender by Red Cloud, at which point Black Elk gives up on his dream of saving his people and reclaiming the Black Hills.