In League Against King Alcohol

“Drawing on extensive research, including the use of Woman’s Christian Temperance Union state archival sources from across the country, Thomas J. Lappas traces the history of the organization’s Department of Work Among Indians. Using Indigenous women’s own words, he explores why they became members and describes their efforts to confront alcoholism. This volume is a welcomed addition to both Native American studies and gender studies.”—Valerie Sherer Mathes, author of Divinely Guided: The California Work of the Women’s National Indian Association
 

“This book makes a strong contribution to the historiography of temperance and women’s networks, but also to the history of Native American women, particularly in Indian Country.”—Southwestern Historical Quarterly

“Not only does Lappas’s research reveal a greater diversity within reform movements, it also highlights a unique form of Native activism that involved Native American women rallying behind causes such as U.S. citizenship, Euro-American–style education, Christianity, and other causes to serve their temperance goals.” – The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era
 

"This important book dispels stereotypes of both the wctu and Native American women. Lappas offers a nuanced assessment of citizenship, allotment, and acculturation, and his work helps us better understand the mixed legacy of wctu work among Native Americans."—Journal of American History
 

“Thomas J. Lappas has created an informative and enjoyable book. The women featured in Lappas’s book offer inspiration to anyone who feels silenced. Women who were marginalized repeatedly gained a voice within the WCTU and found ways to operate in even the most restrictive environments. This book offers valuable information to any scholar interested in temperance activities or the roots of female activism in the United States.”— The Chronicles of Oklahoma