This book's author interviews the late famous Black Elk in this book offering the Native American chief's story from young life through to what was at the time present day. As a child, Black Elk knew he was special, and at the age of nine, Black Elk experienced an impressive spiritual vision where he was able to find a heavenly realm of his ancestors. In that realm, he found a sacred ring and attained the honor of his ancestors. This experience made Black Elk into the influential person he is.
We learn next about political tension among Native American tribes. As a young leader, Black Elk was required to navigate difficult conflicts among the tribe while also being increasingly pressured by white Americans to move out of their ancestral territory. Before long, his efforts fall flat. He describes to Neihardt the feeling of failure and confusion he felt, having believed that the gods had called him to a renaissance of Native American life, but instead he ends up relocated by the US Government. When Crazy Horse is killed by the US military, he and a remnant escape to Canada.
Eventually, a calling did unfold for Black Elk. Although his life has been extremely challenging, he finds an audience that appreciates his sacred powers to do healing and discerns the spirits and the will of the gods. He ends up being something of a celebrity for his shamanism and travels across America, sometimes performing in Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show. While touring in Europe, he has another vision. He decides to refocus his efforts on healing the Native community. He does ghost dances with his tribe to entice a revival (spiritually and personally), but when Sitting Bull dies tragically in the Wounded Knee massacre, he decides for sure that he has failed his sacred task.
