Making a Difference - (New Directions in Native American Studies) by Ada Deer (Paperback)

About the Book

A deeply personal story, written with humor and honesty, this book is a testimony to the ability of one individual to change the course of history through hard work, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to social justice.

Book Synopsis

2019 National Native American Hall of Fame Inductee

This stirring memoir is the story of Ada Deer, the first woman to serve as head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Deer begins, "I was born a Menominee Indian. That is who I was born and how I have lived." She proceeds to narrate the first eighty-three years of her life, which are characterized by her tireless campaigns to reverse the forced termination of the Menominee tribe and to ensure sovereignty and self-determination for all tribes.

Deer grew up in poverty on the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin, but with the encouragement of her mother and teachers, she earned degrees in social work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Columbia University. Armed with a first-rate education, an iron will, and a commitment to justice, she went from being a social worker in Minneapolis to leading the struggle for the restoration of the Menominees' tribal status and trust lands.

Having accomplished that goal, she moved on to teach American Indian Studies at UW-Madison, to hold a fellowship at Harvard, to work for the Native American Rights Fund, to run unsuccessfully for Congress, and to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs in the Clinton administration.

Now in her eighties, Deer remains as committed as ever to human rights, especially the rights of American Indians. A deeply personal story, written with humor and honesty, this book is a testimony to the ability of one individual to change the course of history through hard work, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to social justice.

Review Quotes

"How do we summarize our lives and which stories do we choose? Can we rec­ognize our legacies, or is that a question for future biographers? True to form, Ada Deer (Menominee) did not wait for someone to speak for her, but instead wrote an autobiography resonant with her voice, a narrative as much about Indian Country and Native people as it is about herself... Making a Difference makes visible decades of behind-the-scenes work by Deer and so many tribal leaders, both in their communities and in the halls of D.C. Undergraduates will easily engage with this content; graduate students and scholars will find much to enhance what they already understand about federal Indian policy and the twentieth century."--New Mexico Historical Review


"In her new autobiography, Making a Difference: My Fight for Native Rights and Social Justice, Deer presents a concise overview of her life and times, offering us insight into that complex alchemy that produces impactful his­torical figures...More succinctly, Ada Deer was fierce. Let's hope her story is passed on for generations."-- Native American and Indigenous Studies Journal


"Making a Difference is an eminently engaging, eyewitness account that is not only crucial for any scholar interested in both current and 20th century issues relating to federal Indian policy, but, more importantly, anyone wishing to learn about a woman who, at nearly 85, still works for the betterment of her people."-- Tribal College, Journal of American Indian Higher Education

"Making a Difference is a powerful story of activism. Ada Deer contributed her Indigenous worldview and Menominee cultural identity to help shape Indian affairs of the twenty-first century. Her story is worth sharing and her legacy should be preserved."--LaDonna Harris, President and Founder, Americans for Indian Opportunity


"Ada Deer's vivid personality, dogged determination to fight the ravages of termination not only for the Menominees but for all of Native America, and decades-long dedication to social justice add up to a life well lived--and a story that truly inspires."--Sherry L. Smith, author of Hippies, Indians, and the Fight for Red Power


"For anyone interested in American Indian history, Ada Deer's autobiography is a must-read. A scholar and an activist for the past half century, Ada has been at the core of Indian issues on both the local and national levels. The captivating story of her challenges and accomplishments is carefully told in Making a Difference."--Herman J. Viola, Curator Emeritus, Smithsonian Institution


"This book offers the long overdue perspective of a member of the Menominee Nation on the termination and restoration of the Menominees to their rightful status as a federally recognized tribe. It is a story that is not only important because of Ada Deer's identity as a Native American who experienced it, but also because it demonstrates how a person--woman or man, Indian or non-Indian--born and raised under challenging circumstances can achieve great things in life."--Nicholas C. Peroff, author of Menominee Drums: Tribal Termination and Restoration, 1954-1974


"This lively account of Ada Deer's astonishing life illuminates her lifelong commitment to justice for American Indian people. Her famous work on behalf of the Menominees in their epic struggle to restore their sovereignty and her leadership of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the tumultuous mid-1990s are only part of the story. This book plots the full arc of her remarkable life."--Jean O'Brien, coeditor of Why You Can't Teach U.S. History without Indians


"This well-written autobiography of a leader in the fight for Native American rights offers valuable insights into Native experiences in the latter half of the twentieth century and Ada Deer's perceptive personal insights. A welcome addition to the growing library of Native American biographies--highly recommended."--R. David Edmunds, coauthor of The People: A History of Native America