Philip J. Deloria facts for kids

Philip Joseph Deloria, born on February 27, 1959, is a Yankton Dakota Native American writer. He is an expert in the history of Native Americans, the American West, and the environment. Philip is the son of famous scholar Vine Deloria, Jr.. He is also the great-nephew of ethnologist Ella Deloria.

Mr. Deloria has written award-winning books like Playing Indian (1998) and Indians in Unexpected Places (2004). He earned his Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale University. Today, he teaches history at Harvard University. In 2021, he became a member of the American Philosophical Society.

Philip Deloria's Family History

Philip J. Deloria is a registered citizen of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. His parents are Barbara and Vine Deloria Jr.. His father was a well-known scholar, writer, and activist. Vine Deloria Jr. fought for Native American rights. He became famous for his 1969 book, Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto.

Philip J. Deloria's great-aunt, Ella Deloria, was an ethnologist. This means she studied different cultures. Ella's sister, Mary Sully, was an artist. Philip's grandfather, Vine Deloria Sr., and great-grandfather, Philip Joseph Deloria (also known as Thípi Sápa), were Episcopal priests.

Philip J. Deloria is also the great-great-grandson of U.S. Army officer Alfred Sully. He is the great-great-great-grandson of painter Thomas Sully. When he was growing up, his mother worked as a librarian. Philip and his brother often read at the library until her shift ended.

Education and Teaching Career

Philip Deloria finished his first degree in music education in 1982. He studied at the University of Colorado. In 1988, he earned his master's degree in journalism there. He then received his Ph.D. in American studies from Yale University in 1994.

After Yale, Mr. Deloria became a professor. He taught history at the University of Colorado from 1994 to 2000. Then, he moved to the University of Michigan. There, he taught in two departments. He also served as an associate dean for undergraduate students.

In 2018, he became the first tenured professor of Native American history at Harvard University. A tenured professor has a permanent teaching position. He also helps lead the National Museum of the American Indian-Smithsonian. He was once the head of its Repatriation Committee. In 2022, he was the president of the Organization of American Historians.

Philip Deloria's Books

Philip Deloria has written three non-fiction books. He has also written many articles and book chapters.

His 1998 book, Playing Indian, talks about "playing Indian." This is when non-Native people pretend to be Native Americans. They do this by dressing up or doing rituals. The book explains how this helped them create their own identities. Playing Indian won an award in 1999.

His second book, Indians in Unexpected Places (2004), looks at common ideas about Native Americans. Some people think Native Americans only belong to the past. This book shows how Native people are part of modern life. It won the John C. Ewers Prize in 2006.

Deloria's third book is Becoming Mary Sully: Toward an American Indian Abstract (2019). This book explores the artwork of his great-aunt, Mary Sully. It shows how her art fits into the history of modern art.

Mr. Deloria also produced, directed, and edited a PBS show. It was called Eyanopapi: Heart of the Sioux.