dr. joseph bruchac

Writer of over 170 books about historical Indigenous cultures and characters, Dr. Joseph Bruchac is our committed partner in telling the Lewis and Clark adventure in a way that celebrates the Black and Indigenous heroes who have been left behind by history. Joe researched his book Sacajawea for over ten years, traveling the expedition trail and meeting and speaking first hand with tribal culture bearers along the route, most notably Wayland Large, tribal historian of the Eastern Shoshone, Sacagawea’s nation, who reviewed and approved his book prior to publication.

Joe’s poems, stories and essays have been published in hundreds of magazines and anthologies, including Parabola, The Paris Review, National Geographic and Smithsonian Magazine. His many honors include a National Endowment for the Arts Writing Fellowship, a Rockefeller Humanities Fellowship, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas. He has served as an advisor and been interviewed for many documentary films. In 2009 PBS first aired Jim Thorpe: The World’s Greatest Athlete, which he co-wrote and produced, based on his research about the great Native American athlete. He has also served as a judge for Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Screenwriters Fellowship program. 

Manifest Destiny is inspired by Dr. Bruchac’s acclaimed book about America’s most essential Native American interpreter and guide, Sacajawea. The text stands alone in its ability to capture the Corps of Discovery experience from Sacajawea’s perspective. Told with heart and humor and drawing on the extensive journals of Captain William Clark, Dr. Bruchac’s definitive account is taught in middle and high schools around the country. This rich text is accentuated by the author’s decade of research on the subject.