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OJIBWE, ACTIVIST, PRIEST
THE LIFE OF FATHER PHILIP BERGIN GORDON, TIBISHKOGIJIK
“Ojibwe, Activist, Priest delivers an exceedingly humane account of Philip Gordon’s life that convincingly argues for his relevance: He was not just as another “famous Indian” but rather an important Indigenous voice for reform and justice. Perhaps more importantly, Lewandowski’s portrayal of Gordon also challenges us to look beyond the resistance versus accommodation dichotomy; this is too often applied to prominent Native American leaders, and it ignores the complexities and contingencies inherent to the on-the-ground realities of Indian Country. Undoubtedly, Gordon did advocate for Indian assimila- .................. .
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“Tadeusz Lewandowski’s biography on the life and work of Tibishkogijik, an Ojibwe Catholic priest and activist who went by the English name of Father Philip Bergin Gordon, offers a welcome contribution to the scholarship on American Indian activism during the Progressive Era. ...Ojibwe, Activist, Priest is a concise bio- .
graphy that I recommend to anyone interested in Indigenous activism, Progressive-Era politics, and the role of the Catholic Church in Indian country. It is well written and makes an important contribution to the existing scholarly treatment of other Indigenous intellectual leaders of the early twentieth century.”
H-AmIndian
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“Ojibwe, Activist, Priest: The Life of Father Philip Bergin Gordon, Tibishkogijik is the first academic biography of an important figure whose fight against the Bureau of Indian Affairs and for Native rights was overshadowed by his Catholic proselytizing, his arrogant attitude and his controversial leadership, which led to the downfall of the Society of American Indians. Now, Tadeusz Lewandowski (Red Bird, Red Power: The Life and Legacy of Zitkala-Ša), scholar and head of the department of American literature and culture at the University of Opole in Poland, shines a spotlight on this flawed character who was ultimately driven by a dedication to the protection and improvement of circumstances for his people.
The first indigenous person to be ordained as a Catholic priest within the United States and who ministered primarily
to Native peoples, Philip Bergin Gordon (1885-1948) was fiercely proud of his Ojibwe heritage. Nicknamed "Wisconsin's Fighting Priest," Gordon "spent much of his life fighting against the government institution he felt caused more pain to his people than any other: the Bureau of Indian Affairs." Sadly, Gordon's activist efforts resulted in more losses than wins. His contributions to the Progressive-era Native activism of the early 20th century have remained largely unrecognized due to his conviction that "religious and cultural assimilation were necessary for the salvation and survival of Indians within the United States." Yet by acknowledging that Gordon was a product of his time and upbringing, Lewandowski's biography restores Gordon's contributions to the fight for Native rights, a man who "stood up for his humanitarian beliefs without compromise.”
Shelf Awareness
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tion. However, he also resisted the ongoing process of colonialization by challenging the legitimacy of the BIA, protecting Native land and water rights, promoting Indigenous cultural institutions and language, and drawing attention to the many failures of U.S. Indian policy. By highlighting these aspects of Gordon’s life, Lewandowski is able to draw a clear connection between the goals of Indigenous progressives like Gordon in the early twentieth century and the later, more radical ideas found in the Red Power movement and in the American Indian Movement.”
Middle West Review
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