This tribal history of the Spokane Indians begins with an account of their early life in the Pacific Northwest central plateau region. It then describes in harrowing detail the U.S. government's encroachment on their lands and the subsequent enforced settlement of Spokane people on reservations. The volume concludes with a presentation of twentieth-century developments.

This edition of The Spokane Indians features a new foreword and introduction, which provide up-to-date information on the Spokane people and their most recent efforts to recover and strengthen their historical and cultural heritage.