The following is a list of books I have found helpful in my research and study since early 2010. There are others that provided interesting and revealing information, but these half dozen I would recommend for anyone wanting to establish a base of knowledge that can be expanded as desired.
1. The first book I read on the ‘Doctrine’ was this one by Steve Newcomb. It introduced me to the subject/issue and laid the foundation for further study. I admit a particular bias for it, since it was my first exposure to what became a fairly intense investigation and action project for me.
Pagans in the Promised Land: Decoding the Doctrine of Christian Discovery; Steven T. Newcomb; Fulcrum Publishing; 2008
2. This was my second book which I read shortly after Steve’s. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the two of them were the perfect combination to introduce me to the whole issue of colonization. This one by Bob being focused on the practical application of the ‘Doctrine’ as used by Lewis and Clark.
Native America, Discovered and Conquered: Thomas Jefferson, Lewis and Clark, and Manifest Destiny; Robert J. Miller; Praeger/Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.; 2006
* In addition to their written work, both Steve and Bob were instrumental in mentoring the work I and others did in guiding the Unitarian Universalist Association in passing a resolution at their 2012 General Assembly repudiating and rejecting the ‘Doctrine’. Steve gave the opening remarks for the event, and Bob participated in several workshop panels.
3. This is another book by Bob and three of his academic colleagues that details how the ‘Doctrine’ was applied differently in each of the British colonies – Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Regardless of the methods and practices, the results were pretty much the same – land confiscation, culture suppression, personal oppression, in one form or another.
Discovering Indigenous Lands: The Doctrine of Discovery in the English Colonies; Robert J. Miller, Jacinita Ruru, Larissa Behrendt, Tracey Lindberg; Oxford University Press; 2010
4. This is a revealing account of the individuals and companies involved in the lead-up the 1823 Supreme Court decision in the case of Johnson v. McIntosh. Based on the corporate records of the land acquisition company involved in the judicial and legislative actions, it provides some insight into the background and how John Marshall reached his decision.
Conquest by Law: How the Discovery of America Dispossessed Indigenous Peoples of Their Lands; Lindsay G. Robertson; Oxford University Press; 2007
5. In my mind, there is a close relationship of colonization and hereditary slavery held together by racism. This book, I think, does a wonderful job in exploring my premise, and I would like to believe, confirms it.
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America; Ibram X. Kendi; Nation Books; 2016
6. If one wishes to read only one book about Indigenous issues in the United States, it would be my recommendation to read this book. The concise and honest history, plus the breath of the subjects addressed, makes this book a complete reference for where we are and why.
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States; Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz; Beacon Press; 2014