Post by blackcrowheart on Sept 10, 2006 21:02:31 GMT -5
Reissued book highlights First State’s Native Americans
‘Delaware’s Forgotten Folk’ was published in 1943
By Jeff Brown
Staff writer
jeff.brown@doverpost.com
A book first published at the height of World War II is being brought back to help a younger generation understand the history and culture of Delaware’s Native Americans.
Delaware’s Forgotten Folk: The Story of the Moors and Nanticokes, is considered by many to be the definitive work on Delaware’s Indians.
The book enjoys such status primarily because its author, Clinton A. Weslager, made it a point to do first-hand research on his subject.
“He came and stayed among the people instead of just writing about them,” said Jean Norwood, wife of Nanticoke Chief James “Tee” Norwood. As a girl, Mrs. Norwood often met Weslager at her grandmother’s home while he was working on Forgotten Folk and other projects.
“He was very well-spoken, quiet and unassuming,” Mrs. Norwood recalled. “But he was always listening.”
Weslager carried on a frequent correspondence with her grandmother until the older woman’s death, and then often wrote to Mrs. Norwood, with that connection lasting until the author passed away in August 1994.
A New Yorker by birth, Weslager is well regarded in the Delaware historic community, having penned 15 books about the state, including several about its American Indian population.
Original copy a rare, expensive find
The history of Delaware’s native population is a complicated one. Up against a dominant white society that considered them “colored,” many tribal groups tended to downplay those cultural differences when outside their homes. Marriages between tribal members, and between Indians, blacks and whites, led many to consider themselves “tri-racial,” which in itself created a sense of isolation.
In 1943, Weslager’s book helped Delaware’s American Indians better understand their history, and now, more than 60 years later, will do so again, said Chief Norwood.
“We have people who have inherited the book, but there are a lot who don’t have it at all,” he said. “It will give our younger generation a little insight into the past.”
Republishing the book, which had only seen a limited re-release in 1972, was the inspiration of Dover native Darryl Daisey, whose great-great-great grandfather was a Lenape Indian from New Jersey. Daisey is the son of former Dover City Council member William H. Daisey.
The younger Daisey said he was frustrated because he never could find a well-researched history of his people.
“I’m a real history buff, and there were no good books,” he said. “My father said there was this great book, but he hadn’t seen it for sale lately.”
That great book turned out to be a fragile copy of Weslager’s 1943 history, which the elder Daisey inherited six years ago.
It turned out Delaware’s Forgotten Folk was third on the list of Delaware’s most collectible books, a fact that made copies extremely expensive and hard to come by. That’s when Darryl Daisey hit upon the idea of having it reissued by the University of Pennsylvania Press, the book’s original publisher.
Norwood said the book is presented almost exactly as it was when originally published, although some parts of the 1943 text have been updated.
“We needed to say, ‘Here’s where we are now,’” Norwood said. “We wanted to bring things up to date. But those sections are clearly marked to tell the difference.”
The books initially will go on sale during the 29th annual Nanticoke Powwow, to be held Sept. 9 and 10 near Millsboro. Copies will go on sale to the general public the day after, and will be available in the Nanticoke Indian Museum Gift Shop in Millsboro as well as several regional bookstores. um at 302-945-7022.
www.doverpost.com/pages/newsindians.html
‘Delaware’s Forgotten Folk’ was published in 1943
By Jeff Brown
Staff writer
jeff.brown@doverpost.com
A book first published at the height of World War II is being brought back to help a younger generation understand the history and culture of Delaware’s Native Americans.
Delaware’s Forgotten Folk: The Story of the Moors and Nanticokes, is considered by many to be the definitive work on Delaware’s Indians.
The book enjoys such status primarily because its author, Clinton A. Weslager, made it a point to do first-hand research on his subject.
“He came and stayed among the people instead of just writing about them,” said Jean Norwood, wife of Nanticoke Chief James “Tee” Norwood. As a girl, Mrs. Norwood often met Weslager at her grandmother’s home while he was working on Forgotten Folk and other projects.
“He was very well-spoken, quiet and unassuming,” Mrs. Norwood recalled. “But he was always listening.”
Weslager carried on a frequent correspondence with her grandmother until the older woman’s death, and then often wrote to Mrs. Norwood, with that connection lasting until the author passed away in August 1994.
A New Yorker by birth, Weslager is well regarded in the Delaware historic community, having penned 15 books about the state, including several about its American Indian population.
Original copy a rare, expensive find
The history of Delaware’s native population is a complicated one. Up against a dominant white society that considered them “colored,” many tribal groups tended to downplay those cultural differences when outside their homes. Marriages between tribal members, and between Indians, blacks and whites, led many to consider themselves “tri-racial,” which in itself created a sense of isolation.
In 1943, Weslager’s book helped Delaware’s American Indians better understand their history, and now, more than 60 years later, will do so again, said Chief Norwood.
“We have people who have inherited the book, but there are a lot who don’t have it at all,” he said. “It will give our younger generation a little insight into the past.”
Republishing the book, which had only seen a limited re-release in 1972, was the inspiration of Dover native Darryl Daisey, whose great-great-great grandfather was a Lenape Indian from New Jersey. Daisey is the son of former Dover City Council member William H. Daisey.
The younger Daisey said he was frustrated because he never could find a well-researched history of his people.
“I’m a real history buff, and there were no good books,” he said. “My father said there was this great book, but he hadn’t seen it for sale lately.”
That great book turned out to be a fragile copy of Weslager’s 1943 history, which the elder Daisey inherited six years ago.
It turned out Delaware’s Forgotten Folk was third on the list of Delaware’s most collectible books, a fact that made copies extremely expensive and hard to come by. That’s when Darryl Daisey hit upon the idea of having it reissued by the University of Pennsylvania Press, the book’s original publisher.
Norwood said the book is presented almost exactly as it was when originally published, although some parts of the 1943 text have been updated.
“We needed to say, ‘Here’s where we are now,’” Norwood said. “We wanted to bring things up to date. But those sections are clearly marked to tell the difference.”
The books initially will go on sale during the 29th annual Nanticoke Powwow, to be held Sept. 9 and 10 near Millsboro. Copies will go on sale to the general public the day after, and will be available in the Nanticoke Indian Museum Gift Shop in Millsboro as well as several regional bookstores. um at 302-945-7022.
www.doverpost.com/pages/newsindians.html