Collecting Delaware Books
Re-issue of Landmark 1943 book at Nanticoke Pow Wow
From a 2006 press release.
One of Delaware's most sought after books, Delaware's Forgotten Folk: The Story of The Moors & Nanticokes by C. A. Weslager, is was reissued by the University of Pennsylvania Press. The paperback edition premiered at the 29th Annual Nanticoke Pow Wow on September 9 & 10, 2006, east of Millsboro, Delaware.
Delaware's Forgotten Folk was originally published in 1943, and was the first book penned by one of Delawares most popular and collectible authors the late C. A. Weslager. Between 1943 and 1989 Weslager wrote over 15 books on the State, including several about the Native American and tri-racial populations. Weslager passed away in August 1994.
Delaware's Forgotten Folk was considered ground breaking because it was one of the first books to document the lives of these unique groups. Because there has only been one previous limited reissue (in 1972), few copies of this book are currently available to the public. On-line collectible prices for either edition of the book range up to several hundred dollars
In late June the Nanticoke Indian Association contacted the University of Pennsylvania Press to request that they reissue the book to make it available for their annual Pow Wow, as well as the Nanticoke Indian Museum Gift Shop (Millsboro). The Association was motivated by a continuing effort to enhance the historical knowledge of new generations of Nanticokes, Moors, & Lenapes (a related tribe), as well as the general population. The limited availability of the previous editions was seen as a barrier to that effort.
Nanticoke Chief James Tee Norwood indicated that there is a great deal of interest in this book among the tribe members. We wanted it reissued to make the information more accessible. William H. Daisey, a Nanticoke Tribal Council member stated preserving and sharing Nanticoke history is an important part of our mission. Helping to make this book available facilitates that objective. The Nanticoke Indian Association even provided the cover photography (Dionne Williford & Linden Harmon, Photographers).
This landmark publication was reissued (as a limited release) for the first time in 34 years due to the collaboration of the Nanticoke Indian Association, and the University of Pennsylvania Press. The paperback edition retails for about $20.00, and is expected to be distributed to other fine book stores in the region in 2006.