“Whose rights will we recognize? What human dignity will we respect? For whose well-being will we, as a people, take responsibility?” - Robert CaseyHumanity has struggled, since the beginning of civilization, to see beyond racial and cultural differences in defining human value and dignity. The ideas of slavery, oppression and genocide have all been cultivated by the ignorance and degradation of people misunderstood by a powerful majority that claims to assimilate the minority. Both Charles Eastman and Gertrude Bonnin provide a powerful portrait of Native Americans as they come to understand their place in the new world and cling desperately to traditions and a culture that gives them their dignity. Both autobiographies attempt to educate white readers about the misconceptions and prejudices they have been exposed to about Native Americans. These prejudices have caused the majority of white America to fear and dehumanize the Indian population to the point of oppression. Through their storytelling, Eastman and Bonnin offer a perspective of Native American culture that is relatable and real. These writings bring a sense of human dignity to Native Americans and dispel the idea that “Indians” are a savage, unintelligent, pagan people in need of the white man's guidance. The idea that Native Americans are a savage race who are inherently dangerous is a common misconception in both storylines. In Zitkala Ša's tale, missionaries arrive at the camp to offer a new life and education to the children of the tribe. However, Bonnin hints at the prospect that the invitation goes beyond the good and Christian nature of those who provide education to young Indian children. There is an underlying... half of the card... the man says. Instead, acceptance will never be granted to Native Americans, regardless of their culture's differences or similarities. The white man purely refuses to understand the beliefs of the Native Americans. While the natives are happy in their simplicity, the white man could not imagine a life that was in harmony with everything around them. They desire to conquer and they did conquer. These examples are just a few of Bonnin and Eastman's attempts to bring understanding and empathy to Native Americans in the early 20th century. The idea of ​​a savage people who needed the white man's help to acquire intelligence, religion, and identity was far from the heart of Native American culture. Eastman and Bonnin give us a rich text to bring to light the struggles of Native Americans and help the reader eliminate their prejudices.