Friday the Arapaho Boy: A Story from History

By the Anglos' calendar it was the last week of May 1831 and the Arapahos were camped beside the Cimarron River in what is today southwestern Kansas. Young Warshinun strayed from the camp as he hunted for prairie dogs and became separated from his family and the tribe. This is the true story of Warshinun's adventures.

Nearly dead of thirst and hunger after hiding for a week from Kiowa raiders, the young Arapaho was discovered and cared for by Thomas Fitzpatrick, a Rocky Mountain trader. Fitzpatrick named the boy "Friday" for the day of the week he first found the young Indian, and took him to Santa Fe and Taos, Colorado and Wyoming in search of Friday's family. The trader finally took Friday to St. Louis, enrolled him in school, but continued looking for the boy's family as he traveled through Arapaho country.

Friday grew up to become an important Arapaho leader. (To this day, "Friday" is a prominent family name among the Arapaho.) He attended the famous council in Wyoming that led to the Fort Laramie treaty of 1851. Friday spent the last thirty years of his life trying to prevent war between his people and the Anglos, and died in 1881.

Ages 6-12; reading level grade 4.

The story of the 18th century Arapaho boy, Friday, who became separated from his tribe and was found by a white trader.

Elizabeth Young - Children's Literature

Those who shy away from history, or find any kind of historical writing just plain boring, will find this title in the "Children of the West" series pleasantly engaging and may not be able to put it down. It is the account of Warshinun (Black-spot), his life on the Cimarron, his errant abandonment by his Arapaho tribe and his rescue by Tom Fitzpatrick—a trapper and Indian trader known by most men in the plains and mountains. No prejudice is evident in this story and it could be used to foster appropriate attitudes among classmates, if nothing else. Black-spot, who was re-named Friday by Fitzpatrick, as that was the day he was found, learned the ways of the white man and even attended school in St. Louis, wearing a white man's haircut and school uniform. All the while Tom Fitzpatrick was searching for Friday's family during his travels. Will Friday see his home and family again? Will he re-join the Arapaho's? The detailed illustrations convey a calm, simpler era (except when another tribe forced Black-spot's tribe to move) and mostly alternate full color spreads with black line drawings. Perfect for a study of Plains Indians, western history, or American history in general. 2004, University of New Mexico Press, Ages 9 to 12.

Marc Simmons is considered New Mexico's historian laureate and has published over forty books on New Mexico history. Simmons is a former Woodrow Wilson Fellow, a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, and in 1993 the King of Spain granted him membership in the knightly Order of Isabela la Católica for his contributions to Spanish colonial history. He resides in Cerrillos, New Mexico.

Western artist and long-time working cowboy Ronald Kil lives near Santa Fe.