Searching for My Destiny
About this book
George Blue Spruce Jr. is recognized as the first American Indian dentist in the United States. His life story reaches back to the ancient Pueblo culture cherished by his grandparents and parents and extends to state-of-the-art dentistry and the current needs of the American Indian people. Blue Spruce's journey begins on the Santa Fe Indian School campus with his parents' determination that their children would excel academically and obtain college degrees. After graduating from dental school, Dr. Blue Spruce planned to return to the pueblos to treat his people. As it turned out, his destiny reached far beyond: from the wilds of Montana to New York City to San Francisco to South America and back to the United States. In Washington DC, he presented the needs of American Indians to Congress and lunched with the president. Throughout his journey Dr. Blue Spruce has traveled between two cultures, succeeding in mainstream society while keeping Pueblo tradition in his heart. Facing prejudice and conquering adversity, he reached the zenith of his career as director of the Phoenix Regional Indian Health Service and achieving the rank of assistant surgeon general of the United States.
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Information
Table of contents
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- 1. Those Who Came before Me
- 2. Those Who Paved My Way
- 3. Campus Brats, Cousins, and the Lessons of Life
- 4. Formal Education, Hard Knocks, and Rewards
- 5. Creighton Years
- 6. Finally: Doctor Blue Spruce
- 7. Lieutenant Blue Spruce, USN
- 8. Indian Health Service Dentist
- 9. From the Wilds of Montana to New York City
- 10. Merchant Marines
- 11. Back to School
- 12. Off to South America
- 13. Back in the States
- 14. Special Assistant, Bureau of Health Manpower Education
- 15. Career Change: The “Money Man”
- 16. King of the Hill
- 17. Finally: Director of the Program Closest to My Heart
- 18. Assistant Surgeon General
- 19. Come, Follow Me
- 20. To Those Who Hold Our Future
- Index
