There are 370 million Indigenous peoples around the world, and 5.2 million in the U.S. alone. Yet unfortunately, these groups often find themselves underrepresented in many areas, including the media and in publishing.
Having recognized this problem, more Indigenous-led publishers have begun to take action to increase representation, especially in North America and Australia.
In this post, we’ve rounded up 13 publishers dedicated to sharing Indigenous stories.
Indigenous Publishers in North America
The following Indigenous publishers are located across the United States (including Hawaii) and Canada.
1. Black Bears and Blueberries Publishing
Black Bears and Blueberries is a Native-owned small press that primarily publishes children’s fiction and nonfiction paperbacks and ebooks for reading levels K-6.
Their books focus on Native topics and serve a regional audience, including the Dakotas, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
They seek Native authors and illustrators to develop books about Native people for all readers.
Submission Guidelines: www.blackbearsandblueberries.com/services
2. Chickasaw Press
Founded in 2006, Chickasaw Press strives to share the Chickasaw tribe’s rich history and culture with non-Chickasaws, and to educate Chickasaw tribal members. They publish nonfiction books about Chickasaw subject matter.
Chickasaw also has a fiction imprint, White Dog Press, which publishes Chickasaw-related subject matter in fiction, children’s books, YA literature, travel writing, creative nonfiction, poetry, and memoirs.
Submission Guidelines: chickasawpress.com/Chickasaw-Press-Submission-Guidelines
3. Eaglecrest Books
Based in British Columbia, Eaglecrest Books publishes early literacy books that feature First Nations children and encourage understanding, respect, and interest among all students. They have catalogs of both French and English titles.
Contact: eaglecrestbooks.com/contact
4. Great Oak Press
Located in Temecula, California, Great Oak Press was founded by the Pechanga Band in 2014. It aims to provide an outlet for Native voices on topics that are significant to Native Americans.
Great Oak primarily publishes scholarly and academic books by leading experts, as well as up and coming experts in a wide range of fields, from the arts to the sciences and from history to languages.
In addition, Great Oak also publishes educational books for children and K-12 reading levels.
Submission Guidelines: www.greatoakpress.com/submissions
5. Inhabit Books
Inhabit is an Inuit-owned publishing company located in the Canadian Arctic. They aim to publish books that preserve and promote the stories, knowledge, and talent of the Inuit people and northern Canada.
Since their founding in 2006, Inhabit has worked with elders and storytellers to ensure that the rich storytelling culture of the Inuit is preserved and passed on.
Contact: inhabitbooks.com/pages/contact-us
6. Pemmican Publications
Pemmican Publications is a nonprofit publisher that promotes Metis authors, illustrators, and stories.
They publish an average of five to six new titles per year, with titles ranging from cultural studies and autobiographies to illustrated titles for children.
Submission Guidelines: www.pemmicanpublications.ca/Manuscript-Submission-Guidelines
7. Salina Bookshelf
Salina Bookshelf is an independent publisher with an emphasis on Navajo content, although in recent years they’ve broadened their scope to explore other Native American content that relates to other tribes as well.
They aim to publish books that authentically depict Navajo or Native American culture and people, primarily through children’s books, textbooks, novels, reference books, and electronic media.
Submission Guidelines: salinabookshelf.com/submissions/
8. Theytus Books
Theytus Books is located in Syilx territory on the Penticton Indian Reserve in British Columbia. The company is the oldest Indigenous publisher in Canada, and has been recognized internationally for its contributions to Aboriginal literature.
Theytus publishes literary fiction, nonfiction in social history and policy as it relates to Aboriginal issues, Aboriginal critical literary pieces, humor, and children’s and YA books.
Submission Guidelines: www.theytus.com/Submission-Guidelines
9. Kegedonce Press
Founded in 1993 by Anishinaabe writer Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, Kegedonce Press is headquartered on the traditional territory of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation.
Kegedonce publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, children’s books, and YA novels by Indigenous authors in Canada.
Submission Guidelines: www.kegedonce.com/submissions/
10. Kamehameha Publishing
Founded in 1888, Kamehameha Publishing has produced one of the largest archives of Native Hawaiian writings in the world.
Kamehameha Publishing continues to publish and distribute Hawaiian language, culture, and community-based materials that engage readers and honor Hawaiian cultural vitality.
Submission Guidelines: kamehamehapublishing.org/submissions
11. Native Voices
Native Voices Books, and its imprint, 7th Generation, publish quality fiction and nonfiction titles for children and young adults that showcase the diversity of Native American Nations and Indigenous people on Turtle Island.
All 7th Generation books are written by Native authors to ensure accuracy.
Contact: nativevoicesbooks.com/contact
Australia
These Australian-based publishers proudly publish Indigenous and Aboriginal authors and stories.
12. IAD Press
Based in Alice Springs, Australia, IAD Press represents an authentic Aboriginal perspective. Their catalog includes Aboriginal language dictionaries, fiction, oral histories, books for children, and much more.
They’re dedicated to publishing the works of Aboriginal writers and artists and promoting Aboriginal languages and cultures.
Contact: www.iadpress.com.au/pages/contact-us
13. Magabala Books
Magabala Books is an Aboriginal-owned Indigenous publishing house. Based in Broome, they publish Indigenous storytellers, writers, artists and illustrators from all over Australia.
Magabala publishes a diverse range of genres, including children’s picture books, memoir, fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and poetry.
Submission Guidelines: magabalabooks.submittable.com/submit
Representing Indigenous Voices
While these are not the only publishers of works by Indigenous authors, the presses on this list are dedicated to pursuing and representing a diverse range of Indigenous and Native voices.
Before you submit your manuscript or proposal, please be sure to read their guidelines carefully. If you’re asked to submit a proposal, check out our tips on how to write a great book proposal or query letter.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
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As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
I am a Native American from Oklahoma, and I have been working a short story autobiography. With about eight short stories, which are true and comical and inspirational. I am looking for a publisher who can work with me on my book.
Thank you.
I wrote a memoir story of my life growing up Born to dysfunctional native American alcoholic parents
The struggle I had with myself with alcohol and pulling myself up by my boot straps and starting a business all by myself
Can I read your story? Thanks!
want to publish a really good book
We are Hopi.. we wrote a children’s story of a Hopi boy .. story and pictures are completed..
I am looking for compationt and prominent people to publish my book on native Americans, I have designed and finished my book, ready to be published, sean deram ,thank you