ONE REAL AMERICAN

Ely S. Parker, Seneca Grand Sachem and secretary to Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War, is a fascinating biographical subject.

Raised by a prominent family of Seneca orators, Parker (1828-1895) went from a humble Iroquois childhood to the halls of Washington, D.C., where he juggled leadership roles in two clashing nations. Educated by Baptist missionaries, Parker’s early life echoed that of Fredrick Douglass as he became aware of the need for literacy through hurtful public encounters. He studied law, then worked as an engineer, diplomat, cultural informant, and commissioned officer in the Union Army. As a member of Grant’s entourage, he saved him from capture and became the first Native American to run a governmental office. By the time Parker was ousted as Commissioner of Indian Affairs due to racism, the trade-offs he made in his lifetime came into question. To leave his homeland only to be forgotten by a friend who became president was a poignant turn of events. Unfortunately, the author only scratches the surface of Parker’s complex interiority. Parker’s tribal traditions, histories, and mythologies are covered in a condensed manner. Archival photos and maps add to the expertly researched material. The most heartfelt aspects of the book are the direct quotes from Parker’s autobiography; readers will delight in his eloquent statements.

A Civil War tale about perhaps the most accomplished yet little-known Native in U.S. history.