Two New Book Arrivals! 1) Civil War Arkansas, 1863: The Battle for a State AND 2) The State of Sequoyah: Indigenous Sovereignty and the Quest for an Indian State
- talbotlibrary8
- Mar 31
- 2 min read
We just added two new great books in our online bookstore. Learn more about the history of Arkansas during the Civil War and about Oklahoma and the movement for the state of Sequoyah and how it remains alive today. Great reads!
1) Civil War Arkansas, 1863: The Battle for a State By Mark K. Christ
This book is about the battle to wrest control of the Arkansas River Valley in 1863, thus gaining control of the state itself. The River was vital for moving troops and supplies. This campaign is often overshadowed by the siege of Vicksburg. The author offers parallel events in Arkansas, with consequences for both Union and Confederate powers. The Union captured Little Rock, taking the state out of Confederate control the rest of the war. Other battles were at Arkansas Post, Helena and Pine Bluff. This interesting book contains soldier’s letters and diaries, as well as civilian voices into the story as well. Paperback, 334 pages, w/ illustrations/maps, published 2014. $21.95
2) The State of Sequoyah: Indigenous Sovereignty and the Quest for an Indian State By Donald L. Fixico
Published in 2024, the author describes how the forty-sixth state could have been Sequoyah, not Oklahoma. In 1905, the Five Tribes of Indian Territory gathered to form their own Indian-led state. Leaders of the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Muscogees and Seminoles drafted a constitution, which was ratified. In the end, Congress denied the request. President Theodore Roosevelt declared his support for the merging of Indian Territory with Oklahoma Territory, paving the way for Oklahoma statehood in 1907, ending the State of Sequoyah dream. This book tells the story of how the state of Sequoyah movement unfolded and the extent to which it remains alive today. Fixico concludes his narrative by highlighting recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, most notably McGirt v. Oklahoma (2020), that have reaffirmed the sovereignty of Indian nations over their lands and people—a principal inherent in the Sequoyah movement.Did the story end in 1907? Could the Five Tribes revive their plan for separate statehood? Fixico leaves the reader to ponder this intriguing possibility. Hardcover, 206 pages,13 illustrations,3 maps. $34.95
Both of these books are also available for purchase at the Talbot Library and Museum in Colcord, Oklahoma.
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