Before, Indian people had been so defeated, they were always looking for outsiders, for the government, to somehow come in and fix things. But now, they seem to realize that they're the only ones who can save themselves. — James Welch Copy Share Image
The townspeople outside the reservations had a very superior attitude toward Indians, which was kind of funny, because they weren't very wealthy; they were… — James Welch Copy Share Image
I wander around, get the lay of the land and try to imagine what kind of people would have lived there in that historical… — James Welch Copy Share Image
The economic piece is still missing, since it's so hard to attract industry to reservations, but spiritually and educationally, they're doing just fine. Each… — James Welch Copy Share Image
The title of the poems was The Only Bar in Dixon. We sent it out to The New Yorker on a fluke, and they… — James Welch Copy Share Image
I am definitely a storyteller, but probably not a traditional Storyteller. — James Welch Copy Share Image
Nobody would take checks from Indians, nobody would give them any credit, and nobody would let them drink in the bars. There was a… — James Welch Copy Share Image
My poems were just kind of all over the place. They had no focus, no location, nothing. Kind of a series of images that… — James Welch Copy Share Image
I think ethnic and regional labels are insulting to writers and really put restrictions on them. People don't think your work is quite as… — James Welch Copy Share Image
To receive this award from an organization I admire so much makes me totally happy and grateful. — James Welch Copy Share Image
Richard Hugo taught me that anyone with a desire to write, an ear for language and a bit of imagination could become a writer.… — James Welch Copy Share Image
