Free shipping, Cataloging, and Processing Every Day!*

Susan La Flesche Picotte

08/18/2021

Susan La Flesche Picotte

by Laura K. Murray

There are not many children's books out there that detail the success of indigenous women, especially those born before 1900. Susan La Flesche Picotte is one of those largely overlooked by history, and Murray’s book brings her biography to light beautifully, even as it admits few have heard this woman, the first Native American Indian doctor.

Susan La Flesche Picotte was born in 1865 on the Omaha Reservation in Nebraska. Her father, Joseph La Flesche, was an Omaha chief.  When Susan was 8, she watched an Indian woman die because the white doctor would not care for a Native woman. It was this that spurred Susan to get an education and eventually become a doctor. 

This book, complete with photographs, details Susan’s amazing journey, from attending the Omaha reservation school to eventually graduating from the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania thanks to donations from both Indian and women’s groups that believed in Susan’s ability to make a difference in the world.  

This story, obscure as it may be, needs to be brought to light and shared with children everywhere. It is a tale of perseverance, overcoming racial and gender barriers, and helping others. Susan La Flesche Picotte is an inspirational woman, and this book will be a great addition to your library.  It is part of Capstone’s new biography series, which, in addition to this book offers the stories of Ida B. Wells, Philo T. Farnsworth, and Marian Anderson.  Add it to your collection by clicking here.

Add Comment:      (* mandatory fields)
Comments: