The art of public structure is nearly as old as society itself, and its figurative representations (and gaps) represent deep wells of insight into culture. This book examines sculptors both old and new, and how the work of each one has presented Native Americans and First Nations peoples as figurative subjects found throughout the public sculpture of North America over the past 200 years.

Offering thorough examination of artworks by 50 different sculptors throughout the United States and Canada, this book profiles how artists have incorporated either traditional native styles and techniques or European artistic styles and training to create these figurative subjects in wood, stone, marble, bronze, and other materials; to what degree (or not) they utilized indigenous models or figures, photographs of individuals, or other primary sources to create their sculptures; how each sculpture relates to its landscape and display location; and, how each sculptor's own life relates to the works they have created for public viewing.

Both "historical" statuary and public sculpture that has distinctive artistic representation or styles are examined. Also included are oral history interviews, photographs, and first-hand accounts to help better understand all of these artworks. Each of the sculptors profiled here reflects a mixture of gender, ethnicity, and nationality in their identity and backgrounds, as diverse and varied a group as the subjects of their public sculpture.