We are excited to share that distinguished Professor, Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz’s book, The Indian Card: Who Gets to Be Native in America, has been released by Flatiron Books. In this work, Carrie explores how the federal government has defined Native identity over time while weaving in elements of personal memoir, and reflecting on her own journey as an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

Carrie recently spoke with NPR’s Scott Detrow on All Things Considered, where she shared her motivations for writing. She was initially struck by U.S. census data which showed a recent, large increase in the number of people indicating they were American Indian or Alaska Native. This led her to begin reflecting on her own Native identity and how Native identity has largely been determined by federal policy. In this book, Carrie delves into stories of individuals and communities who have been directly and deeply harmed by these policies.

In recognition of The Indian Card release, Carrie held a conversation with Harry Smith, a broadcast journalist with a long career with CBS and NBC News. The event occurred during the annual Iowa Book Festival in Iowa City, a UNESCO City of Literature.

While working on the book, Carrie received the 2023 Whiting Foundation Creative Nonfiction Grant. The grant jury called the book, “A candid, unflinching look at the sometimes subtle, sometimes ruthless ways federal policies undermine Indigenous culture and society. Carrie Schuettpelz understands firsthand how official tribal membership rations not only access to benefits such as healthcare and housing stipends, but also an ineffable sense of belonging. Her thorough excavation of the painful history that gave rise to rigid enrollment policies is a courageous gift to our understanding of contemporary Native life.”

Carrie currently teaches courses in the School of Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Iowa focusing on Native American issues and poverty policy; she also manages the Native Policy Lab on campus. She serves as the school’s Director of Undergraduate Studies and is Vice President of the University of Iowa’s Native American Council. Carrie holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University.

The Indian Card is available for purchase at local bookstores, including Prairie Lights and Sidekick Coffee & Books, as well as from major booksellers.