Sequoyah and the Invention of the Cherokee Alphabet

Part of a series for high school and undergraduate students on key events and figures in American multiculturalism, this volume on Sequoyah, who developed the written form of the Cherokee language, examines the creation of the written language and explores the cultural, social, and political ramifications of its introduction both internally within the Native American nation, and in its perceptions by, and dealings with, white Americans. The volume chronicles the life and work of Sequoyah and includes a chronology of events, biographical sketches of key figures in the narrative, and a collection of primary documents, including some of the rare surviving original documents in written Cherokee. Summitt is a professor of history at Arizona State University. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

April R. Summitt is assistant professor of history at Arizona State University's Polytechnic Campus in Mesa, AZ.