More Facts

Early works of Helen Hunt Jackson are written under the pseudonyms "Saxe Holm" and "H.H." so her books would be taken more seriously (a common thing of older female writers.) For her books on Native Americans, however, Jackson used her real name.

"Unquestionably the best novel yet produced by an American woman" was what North American Review said of Jackson's most famous work, Ramona. It has been adapted to stage and screen and was one of many novels that placed her as one of the greatest female writers in American history.

Bob Dylan's famous song, To Ramona.

The title theme from the screen adaptation of Jackson's novel, Ramona.

A section of the movie Ramona.

Ralph Waldo Emerson described Jackson as "the greatest woman poet."

Jackson was good friends with fellow American female writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Many people referred to Jackson's book A Century of Dishonor as "the Uncle Tom's Cabin of California."
Jackson has written more than 30 books and hundreds of articles.

Major Contributions to the West

Helen Hunt Jackson moved to California in 1872 and made a large impact on the West with her writing and activism.

She investigated the living condition of southern California Mission Indians and made their situations and unfortunate past known to the public through her writing.

Inspired by Susan La Flesche Picotte and devastated by the mistreatment of Native Americans by the federal government, Jackson wrote a novel entitled Ramona in 1884. It sold 600 thousand copies in 60 years, and was the first novel ever written about southern California. It remains a cultural and historical literary landmark for the state today.

In 1887, the Dawes Severality Act was passed by Congress, changing land owning rules for Native Americans. With high numbers of them populating the West, this certainly made things in this area of the United States a bit different. For more ways Helen Hunt Jackson changed the West by changing the treatment of Native Americans, please go to Major Contributions to Native American History.

Major Contributions to Native American History

After attending an 1879 lecture held by Chief Standing Bear telling of the devastating treatment to the Ponca tribe by the federal government, Helen Hunt Jackson began advocating for Native American rights. She created petitions and raised money for lawsuits. She used her writing skills to compose powerful and convincing articles, poems and books on the topic. Jackson also used her literary talent to write to newspaper editors and even congress. To every member she sent a copy of her book entitled A Century of Dishhonor, a book focused on the promises unfulfilled and treaties disrespected by the federal government at the expense of Native Americans. Many American citizens didn't know of the injustice Native Americans had experienced and Jackson made sure to make it known. One part of the book reads: She gave each congress member a copywith a special message printed on the cover in red ink:In response, and seeing as Jackson was the first woman to hold the position of special commissioner of Indian Affairs in 1882, she was sent by the U.S. Department of Inferior to observe the living conditions of the Mission Indians of Southern California. She reported back that the government would need to amend the situation these people were living in, but it was not acted upon by any officials.

Before her death in 1885, Helen Hunt Jackson sent her last letter. President Grover Cleveland read:The Dawes Severalty Act, which granted land rights to Native Americans, was established in 1887, two years following Jackson's death. It is without question that Helen Hunt Jackson was a great influence in this, and in Native American history as a whole.