Blood brothers : the story of the strange friendship between Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill

Winner of the 2018 Ohioana Book Award for Nonfiction The little-known but uniquely American story of the unlikely friendship of two famous figures of the American West—Buffalo Bill Cody and Sitting Bull—told through the prism of their collaboration in Cody's Wild West show in 1885. "Splendid... Blood Brothers eloquently explores the clash of cultures on the Great Plains that initially united the two legends and how this shared experience contributed to the creation of their ironic political alliance." —Bobby Bridger, Austin Chronicle It was in Brooklyn, New York, in 1883 that William F. Cody—known across the land as Buffalo Bill—conceived of his Wild West show, an "equestrian extravaganza" featuring cowboys and Indians. It was a great success, and for four months in 1885 the Lakota chief Sitting Bull appeared in the show. Blood Brothers tells the story of these two iconic figures through their brief but important collaboration, in "a compelling narrative that reads like a novel" ( Orange County Register ). "Thoroughly researched, Deanne Stillman's account of this period in American history is elucidating as well as entertaining" ( Booklist ), complete with little-told details about the two men whose alliance was eased by none other than Annie Oakley. When Sitting Bull joined the Wild West, the event spawned one of the earliest advertising slogans: "Foes in '76, Friends in '85." Cody paid his performers well, and he treated the Indians no differently from white performers. During this time, the Native American rights movement began to flourish. But with their way of life in tatters, the Lakota and others availed themselves of the chance to perform in the Wild West show. When Cody died in 1917, a large contingent of Native Americans attended his public funeral. An iconic friendship tale like no other, Blood Brothers is a timeless story of people from different cultures who crossed barriers to engage each other as human beings. Here, Stillman provides "an account of the tragic murder of Sitting Bull that's as good as any in the literature...Thoughtful and thoroughly well-told—just the right treatment for a subject about which many books have been written before, few so successfully" ( Kirkus Reviews , starred review). The little-known story of the friendship between two celebrities of the American West in the 1880s-Buffalo Bill Cody and Sitting Bull: Read this book ... A rollicking adventure that proves Buffalo Bill still entertains (New York Journal of Books). It was in Brooklyn, New York, in 1883 that William F. Cody-known across the land as Buffalo Bill-conceived of his Wild West show, an equestrian extravaganza featuring cowboys and Indians. It was a great success, and for four months in 1885 the Lakota chief Sitting Bull appeared in the show. Blood Brothers tells the story of these two iconic figures through their brief but important collaboration, in a compelling narrative that reads like a novel (Orange County Register). Thoroughly researched, Deanne Stillman's account of this period in American history is elucidating as well as entertaining (Booklist), complete with little-told details about the two men whose alliance was eased by none other than Annie Oakley. When Sitting Bull joined the Wild West, the event spawned one of the earliest advertising slogans: Foes in '76, Friends in '85. Cody paid his performers well, and he treated the Indians no differently from white performers. During this time, the Native American rights movement began to flourish. But with their way of life in tatters, the Lakota and others availed themselves of the chance to perform in the Wild West show. When Cody died in 1917, a large contingent of Native Americans attended his public funeral. An iconic friendship tale like no other, Blood Brothers is a timeless story of people from different cultures who crossed barriers to engage each other as human beings. Here, Stillman provides an account of the tragic murder of Sitting Bull that's as good as any in the literature ... Thoughtful and thoroughly well-told-just the right treatment for a subject about which many books have been written before, few so successfully (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) The little known story of the unlikely friendship of two famous figures of the American West?Buffalo Bill Cody and Sitting Bull?told through their time in Cody?s Wild West show in the 1880s. It was in Brooklyn, New York, in 1883 that William F. Cody?known across the land as Buffalo Bill?conceived of his Wild West show, an “equestrian extravaganza” featuring cowboys and Indians. The idea took off. For four months in 1885 the Lakota chief Sitting Bull appeared in the show. Blood Brothers tells the story of these two iconic figures through their brief but important collaboration. Blood Brothers flashes back to 1876, when the Lakota wiped out Custer?s 7th Cavalry unit at the Little Big Horn. Sitting Bull did not participate in the “last stand,” but was nearby?and blamed for killing Custer. The book also flashes forward to 1890, when Sitting Bull was assassinated. Hours before, Cody rushed to Sitting Bull?s cabin at Standing Rock, dispatched by the army to avert a disaster. Deanne Stillman unearths little told details about the two men and their tumultuous times. Their alliance was eased by none other than Annie Oakley. When Sitting Bull joined the Wild West, the event spawned one of the earliest advertising slogans: “Foes in ?76, Friends in ?85”?referring to the Little Big Horn. Cody paid his performers well, and he treated the Indians no differently from white performers. During this time, the Native American rights movement began to flourish. But with their way of life in tatters, the Lakota and others availed themselves of the chance to perform in the Wild West. When Cody died in 1917, a large contingent of Native Americans attended his public funeral. An iconic friendship tale like no other, Blood Brothers is truly a timeless story of people from different cultures who crossed barriers to engage each other as human beings. And it foretells today?s battle on the Great Plains Even before the Indian Wars had ended, Cody was bringing the vanishing frontier to citizens across the land in one of America's earliest reality shows. It was so popular that it lasted for thirty years. For four months in 1885, the Lakota chief Sitting Bull appeared in Cody's Wild West show. The appearance spawned one of the earliest advertising slogans: "Foes in '76, Friends in '85"--Referring to the Little Big Horn. Sitting Bull did not participate in Custer's "last stand" but was nearby and popularly blamed for it. With their way of life in tatters, many Lakota and others availed themselves of the chance to perform in the Wild West show. Cody paid his performers well, and he treated the Indians no differently from white performers. As the show traversed America, Sitting Bull and Cody formed an unlikely partnership, united in mutual respect and by their shared history with the animal that gave both of them their names.;In which Public Enemy Number One comes home -- In which the Wild West is born and dies and is resurrected from the bottom of the Mississippi River -- In which the Seventh Cavalry is defeated at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and Buffalo Bill stars as himself in "The red right hand, or The first scalp for Custer" -- In which Sitting Bull is hired and heads east for the Wild West -- In which Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill join up in the city of Buffalo, and Tatanka Iyotake reunites with Annie Oakley -- In which an Indian and a Wasichu certify their alliance across the medicine line -- In which there comes a ghost dance, or, a horse from Buffalo Bill responds to the assassination of Sitting Bull, and other instances of the last days of the Wild West -- Epilogue. Documents The Unlikely Friendship Between Buffalo Bill Cody And Sitting Bull, Tracing The Events Of Their Brief But Important Collaboration During Cody's 1880s Wild West Show, The Impact Of Little Big Horn, And Sitting Bull's Assassination In 1890. In Which Public Enemy Number One Comes Home -- In Which The Wild West Is Born And Dies And Is Resurrected From The Bottom Of The Mississippi River -- In Which The Seventh Cavalry Is Defeated At The Battle Of The Little Bighorn, And Buffalo Bill Stars As Himself In The Red Right Hand, Or The First Scalp For Custer -- In Which Sitting Bull Is Hired And Heads East For The Wild West -- In Which Sitting Bull And Buffalo Bill Join Up In The City Of Buffalo, And Tatanka Iyotake Reunites With Annie Oakley -- In Which An Indian And A Wasichu Certify Their Alliance Across The Medicine Line -- In Which There Comes A Ghost Dance, Or, A Horse From Buffalo Bill Responds To The Assassination Of Sitting Bull, And Other Instances Of The Last Days Of The Wild West -- Epilogue. Deanne Stillman. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 261-272) And Index.