Zitkala-Ša: Advocate for the Rights of Native People

Zitkala-sa, born Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, was a Native American activist, author, and educator who resisted the forced assimilation of Native Americans into Anglo-American culture. She experienced the harsh realities of government-funded boarding schools, which aimed to erase Native cultures. Despite the trauma, she pursued education and later became a teacher. Realizing her role in a system that harmed her people, she shifted to teaching on a reservation and used her writing to promote Sioux culture. Zitkala-sa became an influential activist, shaping policies that recognized Native American rights and citizenship.

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