Black Hawk : History and Memory

Abstract

The Black Hawk War of 1832 not only affected the Sauk who fought in it, but also the people who would inhabit the area over the next 170 years. This paper focuses on the long trip of the perception and memory of Black Hawk, from that of a bloody savage to respected leader and Native American figure. Using newspaper articles, books, scholarly articles, park sites, and much more, this paper maps the change of portrayal of Black Hawk from negative to positive, starting directly after the end of the Black Hawk War and reaching from the 100th anniversary of Black Hawk?s surrender, to the late twentieth century. Most importantly, this paper shows the connection that the people of the region affected by the war end up having with the memory of Black Hawk.