Get Involved

Get started!

Get the book

  • Find a copy of the book @ your library®
  • For users of the Nebraska Library Commission's Talking Book & Braille Services, the book is available in digital format
  • Borrow a book club kit from the Nebraska Library Commission, or any of Nebraska's Regional Library Systems
  • Purchase the book at one of Mr. Starita's speaking engagements. For every book he sells at an event--a speaking engagement--he donates 20 percent of the proceeds (usually about $5) to a scholarship fund he has established. That fund will go to help support a Nebraska Native American high school graduate to attend some institution of higher learning or a trade school.

Discuss the book & author

  • Discussion questions [PDF] – courtesy Lincoln City Libraries
  • Program leaders: please complete a short evaluation of your program [PDF] and direct members of your group to complete a participant evaluation [PDF]. Your valuable feedback helps to improve the One Book One Nebraska program.
  • Audio & video resources
  • Biographies & bibliographies
  • Interviews
  • Local activity: Host Joe Starita or other scholar, listed on the Speakers Bureau of the Nebraska Humanities Council. Apply for a grant from the Nebraska Humanities Council to finance your event. Public programs sponsored by not-for-profit organizations may be eligible for funding assistance from the Nebraska Humanities Council.
  • Explore themes and topics surrounding the book.

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Related events

  • JANUARY 18 – 10:30 am; Governor's Proclamation Signing Ceremony: "One Book One Nebraska Reads 'I Am a Man'; Warner Chamber of the Nebraska State Capitol, 1445 K St., Lincoln, NE.
  • FEBRUARY 3 – 11:30 am; Book Discussion; Emerson Public Library, Emerson; call 402-695-2449 for more information
  • FEBRUARY 15 – 3:30 pm; The Great Sioux Uprising—1862; part of the Paul A. Olson Seminars in Great Plains Studies; Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q Street, Hewit Place
  • FEBRUARY 16 – 4 pm; Book Discussion; Omaha Public Library's Florence Branch, Omaha; call 402-444-5299 to reserve a seat
  • FEBRUARY 17 – 4 pm; Visit with Author Joe Starita; Omaha Public Library's Florence Branch, Omaha; Joe Starita will present "Standing Bear: How an Indian Chief Set Off on a 600-Mile Journey to Bury His Son and Ended Up Beating the U.S. Army in a Federal Courtroom." A book signing will follow. Registration preferred (online or by calling 402-444-5299).
  • FEBRUARY 18 – 10:30 am; Movie: "Standing Bear's Footsteps"; Omaha Public Library's Willa Cather Branch, Omaha; free showing of the film. Presented in a powerful documentary by NET, this film chronicles an Indian chief's odyssey, ending in a battle for civil rights unlike any other in American history.
  • FEBRUARY 23 – 5:30 pm; Book Discussion; Omaha Public Library's A.V. Sorensen Branch, Omaha. Registration preferred (online or call 402-444-5274). 
  • FEBRUARY 24 – 4 pm; Movie: "Standing Bear's Footsteps"; Omaha Public Library's W. Clarke Swanson Branch, Omaha; free showing of the film. Presented in a powerful documentary by NET, this film chronicles an Indian chief's odyssey, ending in a battle for civil rights unlike any other in American history.
  • FEBRUARY 26 – 2 pm; Visit with Author Joe Starita; Omaha Public Library's Abrahams Branch, 5111 North 90th St.
  • FEBRUARY 28 – 4:30 pm; Meet Joe Starita; Northeast Community College Library, Norfolk; contact Mary Louise Foster at 402-844-7131 or marylouise (at) northeast.edu for more information. Sponsored by the NECC Native American Oyate Club.
  • FEBRUARY 28 – 5:45 pm; Movie: "Standing Bear's Footsteps"; Omaha Public Library's Florence Branch, Omaha; free showing of the film. Presented in a powerful documentary by NET, this film chronicles an Indian chief's odyssey, ending in a battle for civil rights unlike any other in American history. Registration required.
  • MARCH 3 – 11 am; Movie: "Standing Bear's Footsteps"; Omaha Public Library's Bess Johnson Elkhorn Branch, Omaha; free showing of the film. Presented in a powerful documentary by NET, this film chronicles an Indian chief's odyssey, ending in a battle for civil rights unlike any other in American history.
  • MARCH 10 – 2 pm; Movie: "Standing Bear's Footsteps"; Omaha Public Library's W. Dale Clark Main Library, Omaha; free showing of the film. Presented in a powerful documentary by NET, this film chronicles an Indian chief's odyssey, ending in a battle for civil rights unlike any other in American history.
  • MARCH 17 – 2 pm; Behind the Book Presentation; Omaha Public Library's W. Dale Clark Main Library, Omaha; Judi M. Gaiashkibos, Executive Director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs and a member of the Ponca Tribe, will speak about the restoration of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska in the 1980s.
  • MARCH 23 – Presentation and Book Discussion; 5 pm; Rushville Public Library; Rushville. Contact Maggie at rpublib (at) gpcom.net for more information.
  • MARCH 29 – Book Discussion; 7 pm; Columbus Public Library; Columbus
  • MARCH 31 – Presentation by Joe Starita; Nebraska State Historical Society's Nebraska History Museum, Lincoln. Vendors will be present. Part of the Nebraska Book Festival. 
  • MARCH 31 – 2 pm; Book Discussion; Omaha Public Library's W. Dale Clark Main Library, Omaha.
  • APRIL 1 – 2 pm; NET documentary "Standing Bear's Footsteps" and Book Discussion (3 pm); Hastings Public Library; Hastings
  • APRIL 3 – 7:30 pm; Meet Joe Starita; Hastings City Auditorium; Hastings; sponsored by Hastings Public Library
  • APRIL 9 – 6:30 pm; NET documentary "Standing Bear's Footsteps" and Book Discussion (7:30 pm); Hastings Public Library, Hastings
  • APRIL 9 – 7 pm; March Read/Library Book Club; Hartington Public Library, Hartington
  • APRIL 10 – 7 pm; Book Discussion; Schuyler Public Library, Hastings
  • APRIL 15 – 2 pm; Presentation by Joe Starita; Hastings Public Library, Hastings
  • APRIL 22 – 2 pm; Meet Joe Starita; Neligh Public Library; Neligh
  • MAY 8 – 1 pm; Meet Joe Starita; Lied Battle Creek Public Library; Battle Creek
  • MAY 12 – Chief Standing Bear Breakfast; This annual event honors and celebrates Chief Standing Bear's enduring message of "Equality before the Law" on the 133rd Anniversary of the Standing Bear v. Crook decision; Hilton Hotel, 1001 Cass St., Omaha
  • MAY 19 – 1 pm; Book Signing with Joe Starita; The Bookworm, 8702 Pacific St., Omaha
  • MAY 20-25 – Chautauqua; "Free Land? 1862 and the Shaping of Modern America"; scholar portrayals include Ponca Chief Standing Bear; Beatrice
  • JUNE 13 – 6 pm; Book Signing with Joe Starita; Edith Abbott Memorial Library, Grand Island.
  • JUNE 30 – 2 pm; Book Discussion; Broadwater Public Library, Broadwater. Contact Naomi Loxterkamp, nloxterkamp100 @ yahoo.com or 308-489-0199, for more information.
  • JULY 3 – 6 pm; Book Discussion; Gretna Public Library, 736 South St. Contact Maureen McCombs, gretna.library @ gmail.com, for more information.
  • JULY 9 – 6:30 pm; Book Discussion; South Sioux City Public Library, South Sioux City
  • JULY 11 – 6 pm; Presentation by Joe Starita; Gretna Public Library, 736 South St. Sponsored by the Nebraska Humanities Council. Contact Maureen McCombs, gretna.library @ gmail.com, for more information.
  • JULY 15 – Time TBA; Book Discussion with Speaker Dwight Howe; Ponca State Park Resource Center. Dwight Howe, a member of the Ponca Tribe, will be the guest speaker, in tribal regalia. A meal will be included. Hosted by Friends of Ponca Carnegie Library. Contact Beth Foulks, poncalib (at) gpcom.net, for more information.
  • AUGUST 11 – 2 pm; Presentation by Joe Starita; "Standing Bear: How an Indian Chief Set Off on a 600-Mile Journey to Bury His Son and Ended Up Beating the U.S. Army in a Federal Courtroom"; South Sioux City Public Library, South Sioux City
  • SEPTEMBER 27 – 7 pm; Presentation by Joe Starita; "Chief Standing Bear: The enduring legacy of a courageous Nebraskan's journey for justice"; Mari Sandoz Heritage Society Pilster Great Plains Lecture; Memorial Hall, Chadron State College, Chadron
  • OCTOBER 3 – 10 am; NCompass Live: 2012 One Book One Nebraska; Live webinar recorded and available for viewing; Guest speaker: Joe Starita
  • OCTOBER 15 – 9 pm CT; NET documentary "Standing Bear's Footsteps" makes its national PBS debut; Nationwide, locally on NET1/HD
  • OCTOBER 18 – 7:00 p.m. CT; LaVista Conference Center, LaVista. Joe Starita receives the Mari Sandoz Award from the Nebraska Library Association and speaks about how the story of Standing Bear informs what we believe about America.
  • NOVEMBER 3 – 3:30 pm CT; Celebration of Nebraska Books at the Nebraska History Museum, Lincoln. Joe Starita speaks about his experience traveling the state of Nebraska and sharing the story of Standing Bear with readers across the state through the 2012 One Book One Nebraska program.
  • NOVEMBER 10 – 2 - 3 pm; Presentation by Joe Starita; In this presentation, the author discusses the legal, social and political importance of the landmark 1879 decision in which a judge declared that Ponca Chief Standing Bear was "a person" within the meaning of the law and entitled to the same Constitutional protections as white citizens; La Vista Public Library, La Vista
  • NOVEMBER 27 – 6:30 pm; Presentation by Joe Starita; "Standing Bear: How an Indian Chief Set Off on a 600-Mile Journey to Bury His Son and Ended Up Beating the U.S. Army in a Federal Courtroom"; Millard Branch, Omaha Public Library, Omaha