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Primary sourceNewspaper article1890

The Sitting Bull Editorial

L. Frank Baum · 1890

A newspaper editorial written by L. Frank Baum in 1890 reacting to Sitting Bull's death, revealing contemporary press attitudes toward him.

A contemporary editorial reacting to Sitting Bull's death, showing how the press of the time characterized him.

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Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

This is a short editorial written in 1890 by L. Frank Baum, later famous as the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, responding to the death of Sitting Bull. The text is preserved on Wikisource.

Why it matters

Baum wrote this piece at the time Sitting Bull died, so it shows how a contemporary American writer and much of the press viewed him: as a feared but respected figure, described through language that reflects the racist attitudes common at the time toward Native Americans. It is a valuable, if uncomfortable, window into how Sitting Bull was seen by white settler society in his own era.

Look closer

  • What words does Baum use to describe Sitting Bull, and what do they reveal about his own views?
  • How does the editorial describe the loss of land and conflict Sitting Bull experienced?
  • Why is it important to read this source critically rather than as a neutral account of Sitting Bull's life?

This newspaper article is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Sitting Bull (Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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