1898 HIAWATHA Longfellow Minnehaha Edition Hardcover

The is an 1898 Minnehaha edition of Hiawatha by Longfellow published by the Federal Book Company. There is a name written inside the front cover. The hinge is split, and the spine needs glue. The poem is illustrated with the pages showing tanning.

"Hiawatha," first published by Longfellow in 1855, is considered important because it was one of the first major works of American literature to prominently feature Native American culture, attempting to portray it positively. Longfellow wrote in his journal, “I have at length hit upon a plan for a poem on the American Indians... It is to weave together their beautiful traditions into a whole.” The reviewer for the New York Times hated it and had an opinion that echoed the American public. “Because there is no romance about the Indians,” he wrote and referred to Indians as “a justly exterminated race.” If you collect banned or challenged books, this poem by Longfellow is a perfect addition to your library.