Saunt's Scholarly Contributions to Native American History
The academic works of Saunt provide a critical lens into the complex intersections of power, race, and land in early American history. Through a series of prize-winning monographs and digital projects, Saunt documents the systemic transformations and dispossession experienced by Native American populations from the 18th century through the 19th century.
Key Facts
- Author of multiple award-winning books focusing on ethnohistory (the study of cultures and customs of individual peoples using historical records).
- Recipient of prestigious honors including the Bancroft Prize and the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award.
- Specializes in the history of the Deep South, the American Revolution, and the Indian Removal Act.
- Creator of "The Invasion of America," a comprehensive interactive map of land cessions.
Early Research on Power and Race
Saunt's initial scholarly contributions focused on the socioeconomic shifts within the Deep South. In the 1999 monograph, A New Order of Things: Property, Power, and the Transformation of the Creek Indians, 1733–1816, Saunt examines how the accumulation of slaves and cattle by the Creek Indians sparked a regional transformation during the eighteenth century.
This work earned significant academic recognition, winning the 2000 Charles S. Snydor Award from the Southern Historical Association for the best book on Southern history, as well as the Wheeler-Voegelin Award from the American Society for Ethnohistory.
Following this, the 2005 text Black, White, and Indian: Race and the Unmaking of an American Family shifted the focus toward the domestic sphere. This book explores how racial hierarchies impacted mixed-race families in the Native American South during the eighteenth century. For this research, Saunt received the Clements Prize from Southern Methodist University's Clements Center for Southwest Studies.
Revolution and Dispossession
Expanding the narrative of the American struggle for independence, Saunt's 2014 book, West of the Revolution: An Uncommon History of 1776, highlights the often-overlooked revolutionary actions of Native Americans. The text juxtaposes these Indigenous experiences with the more widely known events of 1776.
The most comprehensive account of state-sponsored displacement appears in Unworthy Republic: The Dispossession of Native Americans and the Road to Indian Territory (2020). This work details the forced expulsions of Native Americans from the eastern United States to territories west of the Mississippi River. These actions were carried out under the Indian Removal Act of 1830, signed into law by President Andrew Jackson.
Unworthy Republic was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Nonfiction and was honored with the 2021 Bancroft Prize and the 2021 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award.
Digital Documentation of Land Loss
Beyond traditional publishing, Saunt developed "The Invasion of America." This interactive map serves as a historical record of every Native American land cession from the founding of the Republic through the 1880s. The tool provides direct links to the executive orders and treaties that facilitated these transfers of land.
| Book Title | Year | Primary Focus | Major Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| A New Order of Things | 1999 | Creek Indians, cattle, and slavery | Charles S. Snydor Award, Wheeler-Voegelin Award |
| Black, White, and Indian | 2005 | Racial hierarchy and mixed-race families | Clements Prize |
| West of the Revolution | 2014 | Native American actions in 1776 | N/A |
| Unworthy Republic | 2020 | Indian Removal Act and forced expulsions | Bancroft Prize, Robert F. Kennedy Book Award |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the focus of "A New Order of Things"?
It documents the 18th-century transformation of the Deep South, specifically how the Creek Indians' accumulation of cattle and slaves altered the region's social and power structures.
Which book discusses the Indian Removal Act of 1830?
Unworthy Republic: The Dispossession of Native Americans and the Road to Indian Territory provides a detailed account of the expulsions ordered under the act signed by President Andrew Jackson.
What is "The Invasion of America"?
It is an interactive map created by Saunt that documents Native American land cessions from the founding of the Republic to the 1880s, including links to treaties and executive orders.
How did Saunt address the American Revolution?
In the book West of the Revolution: An Uncommon History of 1776, Saunt reveals the various histories of Native American revolutionary actions that occurred during the same year as the well-known events of the American Revolution.
What awards did "Unworthy Republic" receive?
The book received the 2021 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award and the 2021 Bancroft Prize, and it was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Nonfiction.