Organized both chronologically and thematically, "Encounters with the People" is an edited, annotated compilation of unique primary sources related to Nez Perce history— Native American oral histories, diary excerpts, military reports, maps, and more. Generous elders shared their collective memory of carefully-guarded stories passed down through multiple generations, beginning with early Nimiipuu/Euro-American contact and extending until just after the Treaty of 1855 held at Walla Walla. The editors scoured archives, federal document repositories, and museums in search of little-known documents related to regional cultural and environmental history—most published for the first time or found only in obscure sources. Part of the Voices from Nez Perce Country series, this essential reference work includes a thorough, up-to-date, annotated bibliography.