“Whose rights will we recognize? What human dignity will we respect? For whose well-being will we, as a people, take responsibility? » - Robert Casey Humanity has struggled, since the beginning of civilization, to see beyond racial and cultural differences when defining human worth and dignity. The ideas of slavery, oppression and genocide have all been cultivated through the ignorance and debasement of people misunderstood by a powerful majority who claim to assimilate the minority. Charles Eastman and Gertrude Bonnin both give powerful portrayals of Native Americans as they understand their place in the new world and desperately cling to the traditions and a culture that give them dignity. Both autobiographies attempt to educate white readers about the misconceptions and prejudices they were exposed to about Native Americans. These prejudices caused a majority of white America to fear and dehumanize the Indian population to the point of oppression. Through their storytelling, Eastman and Bonnin provide a perspective of Native American culture that is relevant and real. These writings brought a sense of human dignity to the Native Americans and dispelled the notion that the "Indians" were a savage, unintelligent, pagan people in need of the white man's guidance. The notion that Native Americans are a savage race who are inherently dangerous is a common misconception in both scenarios. In the story of Zitkala Ša, missionaries arrive at the camp in order to offer a new life and a new education to the children of the tribe. Yet Bonnin hints at the prospect that the invitation goes beyond the good and Christian nature of those who educate young Indian children. There is an underlying...... middle of paper ......ite man said. On the contrary, Native Americans will never be accepted, regardless of the differences or similarities in their culture. The white man categorically refuses to understand the beliefs of the Native Americans. While the natives are happy in their simplicity, the white man could not imagine a harmonious life with everything around them. They desire to conquer and conquer they have done it. These examples are just a few of Bonnin and Eastman's attempts to bring understanding and empathy to Native Americans at the turn of the 20th century. The idea of ​​a savage people needing the white man's help to acquire intelligence, religion, and identity was far from central to Native American culture. Eastman and Bonnin give us a rich text to highlight Native American struggles and help the reader eliminate their prejudices.