Michael Fitzgerald (b. 1949) is an author, editor, and publisher of books on world religions, sacred art, tradition, culture and philosophy who is based in Bloomington, Indiana. He has contributed over 20 books that have received more than 45 awards, including the ForeWord Book of the Year Award and the Ben Franklin Award. His books have been published in six different languages (including English) and at least ten of his books and two documentary films produced by him are used in university classes. Fitzgerald is an acknowledged authority on the religion and culture of the Plains Indians and is also the adopted son of the late Thomas Yellowtail, one of the most honored American Indian spiritual leaders of the last century. Fitzgerald holds an Honor’s Degree in Religious Studies from Indiana University, with Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude distinctions, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Indiana University with Cum Laude distinction.

Michael Fitzgerald was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. From his earliest youth his father instilled in him the great love of virgin nature and the American Indians that was to play a prominent part in his adult life. Fitzgerald's father also passed on his great respect for traditional Oriental cultures that arose during the time he spent as the commandant of a Marine garrison in Tientsin, China, in 1945-1946.

Fitzgerald’s love of the American Indians blossomed when he was Joseph Epes Brown’s graduate teaching assistant for three semesters for “Religious Traditions of the American Indians”. When Brown departed for a teaching post in Montana in 1972, Fitzgerald replaced him and taught the course in the Indiana University Continuing Studies Department, at the Bloomington campus, for a period of two years. Brown introduced Fitzgerald to Benjamin Black Elk, son of the famous Lakota holy man, and Susie Yellowtail, who is now enshrined in the Montana Hall of Fame. Fitzgerald spent the summer of 1971 living with Thomas and Susie Yellowtail on the Crow Indian Reservation in Wyola, Montana, where he also participated in the tribal Sun Dance. Michael Fitzgerald was subsequently adopted into the Crow tribe.

In 1975 Thomas Yellowtail and his wife made the first of a series of annual October visits to the Fitzgerald home in Bloomington, Indiana. During some of those visits Fitzgerald recorded Yellowtail’s recounting of his life and the history and details of the Crow-Shoshone Sun Dance. These interviews were edited by Michael Fitzgerald and later published as Yellowtail: Crow Medicine Man and Sun Dance Chief and Native Spirit: The Sun Dance Way.

The Yellowtails were to provide the Fitzgeralds with introductions to many spiritual leaders of other American Indian tribes; thus Judith and Michael Fitzgerald have spent extended periods of time over a period of more than thirty-five years visiting traditional cultures and attending sacred ceremonies throughout the American West, including the sacred rites of the Crow, Sioux, Cheyenne, Shoshone, Bannock, and Apache Tribes. These contacts led to the creation of a number of books and two documentary films on the American Indians.

In 2004 Michael Fitzgerald and his wife, Judith, a graduate of Indiana University and an artisan, calligrapher, and graphic designer, published the first in an award-winning series of illustrated inspirational books on the world’s religions, called “Sacred Worlds”, with titles such as Indian Spirit, The Spirit of Indian Women, Christian Spirit, The Sermon of All Creation, and The Universal Spirit of Islam. Many of the photographs in this series and in Fitzgerald’s other books were taken by him during their travels to visit traditional cultures around the world.

Michael and Judith Fitzgerald continue to live in Bloomington, Indiana, as does their son and his family.

Mr. Fitzgerald has written and edited many publications on American Indian spirituality, including Yellowtail: Crow Medicine Man and Sun Dance Chief, first published in 1991 by the University of Oklahoma Press, which he recorded and edited (now in its fifth printing). About the book, the journal Choice wrote, it "describes in exquisite detail Yellowtail's philosophy.... It is a serious work of anthropology and history."

A more recent important contribution by Michael Fitzgerald to the understanding of Plains Indian religion appeared in the American Indian Culture and Research Journal. The article is titled “New Light on Black Elk and The Sacred Pipe.” The Journal summarized the article in this way: “This article provides new information that will oblige scholars to reassess the legacy of Black Elk (1863–1950), including excerpts from recently discovered unpublished letters written by Joseph Epes Brown while he was living with the Lakota holy man (1947–49). The author provides insights into Brown's personal philosophy and a clearer context for the editorial role he played in recording The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk's Account of the Seven Rites of the Oglala Sioux. Brown's letters also help to illuminate Black Elk's role in attempting to restore the sacred ‘religion of the Pipe’ among the Sioux and to clarify controversies that include Black Elk's dual participation in Catholicism.” For readers of Perennialist writings, it is noteworthy that Fitzgerald's article also includes important new insight into Frithjof Schuon's role, as a close associate of Brown, in the chain of events leading to the recording of Black Elk's teachings on the Seven Rites.

Another notable publication edited by Fitzgerald is Living in Two Worlds: The American Indian Experience (2010) by Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa), which has won many awards and distinctions.

All royalties from Fitzgerald’s books and films about American Indians are donated to different American Indian causes or used to perpetuate American Indian spiritual traditions. This includes the Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian, the American Indian College Fund, and the traditional ceremonies of the Crow, Lakota, Apache, and Shoshone. Fitzgerald is both a Director and the Secretary of the Trehero-Trosper Sun Dance Inc., a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the perpetuation of Shoshone traditional ceremonies and culture.

As a fierce advocate of preserving indigenous languages, Fitzgerald is a co-founder of the Crow Language Consortium, a subsidiary of the Language Conservancy, and is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Language Conservancy. The Fitzgerald family provides ongoing financial contributions that include underwriting Crow language textbooks and the establishment of a permanent endowment for the Language Conservancy with the Bloomington Community Foundation.

“Living in Two Worlds is an amazing achievement, a powerful ingathering of knowledge and wisdom, and a significant offering to the growing field of Native American cultural studies and history.”
—Midwest Book Review

“My son, Michael Fitzgerald, has been a member of my family and the Crow tribe for over twenty years. Michael has helped to preserve the spiritual traditions of the Crow Sun Dance and he has helped to show us the wisdom of the old-timers.”
—Thomas Yellowtail, Crow medicine man and Sun Dance chief

“Michael Fitzgerald has heard the poignant narratives of the American Indian people, and has lived among the Crow people for extended periods of time since 1970. He has studied American Indian religious traditions on the earth, among the people, in ceremonies and family gatherings. We thank Fitzgerald for his deep-seated appreciation, honor, and respect for American Indian culture, its religion, language, and lifeways.”
—Janine Pease, founding president of the Little Big Horn College, and National Indian Educator of the Year

“Fitzgerald has a great sense of discernment in selecting editorial material which addresses directly the concerns of contemporary man.”
—Prof. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, George Washington University, and author

“I greatly appreciate the recovery work that Fitzgerald is doing, work that makes available for the classroom and popular use texts that have been all but buried in libraries. Work such as Fitzgerald’s is exactly the kind of work that needs to be promoted for a more complete understanding of early American Indian writings and oratory.”
—Stephen Brandon, University of New Mexico

“Expertly edited by Michael Fitzgerald and enhanced with a Foreword by Thomas Yellowtail, Indian Spirit is a compendium that deftly combines powerful quotes with black-and-white photographs on every page to share with the reader the wisdom and faith of Native American leaders. The wisdom herein derives from leading figures drawn from many tribes, and the photographs offer unforgettable portraits of the people who spoke enduring words of reverence by which to live our lives…. Indian Spirit is a welcome and appreciated contribution to Native American Studies.”
—Midwest Book Review

“One of the great callings of art is to excavate a lost part of our culture, and the Fitzgeralds answer this summons handsomely here in a compact exploration of Native American women’s spirituality.”
—Publishers Weekly, on The Spirit of Indian Women

“The Spirit of Indian Women … is an act of reclamation as much as of spirituality: it reproduces precious and seldom-seen photographs of Native American women, most of them from the later 19th century. Their images are interwoven with oral accounts, songs, and other documents that offer priceless glimpses into the little-understood lives and experiences of America’s foremothers…. The Spirit of Indian Women is a special treasure. Highly recommended.”
—Library Journal, on The Spirit of Indian Women

“A copy of this beautiful little book [Christian Spirit] should be in every home. Offering after offering overwhelms us with consciousness of Heaven’s generosity to Christianity in the way of sacred art.”
—Martin Lings, author of Ancient Beliefs and Modern Superstitions

“The Sermon of All Creation is founded on the very ancient and venerable Christian tradition of insight drawn from ‘God’s second Book.’ Dazzling photographs, saturated with color, share pages with quotations from the likes of Catherine of Siena, Augustine of Hippo, and William Penn; the volume includes an index of authors for easy reference.”
—Library Journal,on The Sermon of All Creation: Christians on Nature

“This book [The Universal Spirit of Islam: From the Koran and Hadith] sets out to explore if these sources [the Koran and hadith] provide a basis for improving interfaith relations. The Fitzgeralds give the reader space to come to their own conclusions, not taking sides in their preface. Their selections of Koranic and hadith passages show a unique sensitivity to and understanding of Islam. Accompanied by lovely photographs … as well as reprints of Islamic art and illuminated Korans, the titular ‘spirit’ of Islam comes across as reflective, wise, and bridge-building. The Fitzgeralds have reorganized some of Islam’s most sacred texts and art in an easy-to-understand format, not only underscoring the interfaith resources in Islam but the spiritual side of Islam as well.”
—Publishers Weekly

“I am successfully using The Essential Charles Eastman as a supplemental text in my Intellectual Heritage classes. Michael Fitzgerald’s choices represent the pinnacle of Eastman’s intent to enlighten and harmonize the disparate elements of these two diametrically opposed, yet convergent cultures: Native America and post-Colonial Civilization. I sincerely recommend The Essential Charles Eastman for any educator or interdisciplinary course in which critical comprehension of pan-historic and multi-cultural ideology is vital.”
—Prof. Gerald Musinsky, Temple University

“[Frithjof Schuon: Messenger of the Perennial Philosophy] is the definitive biography of Schuon that all students will have to consider when discussing this undoubtedly interesting and provocative spiritual master. Highly recommended.”
—from a review by Steven T. Katz in CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries

“I want to say a Crow Indian prayer: ‘Great Spirit, the work that Mike [Fitzgerald] is doing is important.… So, I pray for Mike that You help him, guide him, and protect him as he completes his work.… Aho! Aho!’”
—Joe Medicine Crow, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the US.

Books

Yellowtail: Crow Medicine Man and Sun Dance Chief. Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1991.

Light on the Indian World: The Essential Writings of Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa), edited by Michael Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2002; second edition (The Essential Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa): Light on the Indian World), Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2007.

Indian Spirit, edited by Michael Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2003; second edition (Indian Spirit: Revised and Enlarged), edited by Michael Fitzgerald and Judith Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2006.

Christian Spirit, edited by Michael Fitzgerald and Judith Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2004.

The Sermon of All Creation: Christians on Nature, edited by Michael Fitzgerald and Judith Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2005.

The Spirit of Indian Women, edited by Michael Fitzgerald and Judith Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2005.

The Universal Spirit of Islam: From the Koran and Hadith, edited by Michael Fitzgerald and Judith Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2006; New Delhi: Pentagon Press, 2007.

Titus Burckhardt, The Foundations of Christian Art: Illustrated, edited by Michael Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2006.

Thomas Yellowtail, Native Spirit: The Sun Dance Way, edited by Michael Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2007.

Joseph Epes Brown, Spiritual Legacy of the American Indian: With Letters Written While Living with Black Elk, edited by Marina Brown Weatherly, Elenita Brown, and Michael Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2007.

HH the 68th Jagadguru of Kanchi, Introduction to Hindu Dharma: Illustrated, edited by Michael Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2008.

Titus Burckhardt, Foundations of Oriental Art and Symbolism: Illustrated, edited by Michael Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2009.

Frithjof Schuon: Messenger of the Perennial Philosophy. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2010.

Living in Two Worlds: The American Indian Experience, edited by Michael Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2010.

A King James Christmas: Biblical Selections with Illustrations from Around the World, edited by Catherine Schuon and Michael Fitzgerald. Wisdom Tales. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2012.

Children of the Tipi: Life in the Buffalo Days, edited by Michael Fitzgerald. Wisdom Tales. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2013.

Indian Boyhood: The True Story of a Sioux Upbringing, edited by Michael Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2016.

Spirit of the Earth: Indian Voices on Nature, edited by Michael Fitzgerald and Joseph A. Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2017.

Spirit of the Indian Warrior, edited by Michael Fitzgerald and Joseph A. Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2019.

DVDs

The Sun Dance Way (DVD), directed by Jennifer Casey, produced by Michael Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2006.

Native Spirit (DVD), directed by Jennifer Casey, produced by Michael Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2007.

Articles in English

“Estate Tax Implications of Close Corporate Stock Redemptions”, Trusts & Estates, April, 1978.

“The Medicine Teachings of Thomas Yellowtail, Crow Sun Dance Chief”, Shaman’s Drum, Summer 1991.

“View from the Bottom”, first published in Nation’s Business, February 1993.

“Prerequisites for Sustained Growth”, in The McGraw-Hill Guide to Managing Growth in Emerging Business, Stephen Harper, ed. McGraw-Hill, 1994.

“Frithjof Schuon’s Role in Preserving the Red Indian Spirit”, Sophia, Winter 1998.

“Frithjof Schuon: Providence Without Paradox”, Sacred Web 8, December 2001.

“Book Review: Against the Modern World: Traditionalism and the Secret Intellectual History of the Twentieth Century”, Sacred Web 13, July 2004; Vincit Omnia Veritas I, 2, 2004.

“In Memoriam: Dr. Martin Lings”, Sacred Web 15, June 2005; Vincit Omnia Veritas II, 1, 2005.

“Beauty and the Sense of the Sacred: Schuon’s Antidote to the Modern World”, Sacred Web 20, November 2007.

“Frithjof Schuon and the American Indian Spirit”, Vincit Omnia Veritas III, 2, 2007.

“The Universal Foundations of Islam”, Universal Dimensions of Islam: Studies in Comparative Religion, World Wisdom 2011.

“New Light on Black Elk and The Sacred Pipe,” American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 41:4, 2017; Sacred Web 43, Summer 2019.

“Titus Burckhardt: A Great Friend of the American Indians”, Sacred Web 43, Summer 2019.

Books in French

Yellowtail: Homme médecine Crow et chef de la Danse du Soleil. Les Sept Flèches, 2008.

Le monde sacré des femmes amérindiennes : Paroles et images du passé (The Spirit of Indian Women). Les Sept Flèches, 2008.

L'esprit sacrée des amérindiens (Indian Spirit). Vega, 2012.

Thomas Yellowtail, L'Esprit indien et la voie de la Danse du Soleil (Native Spirit: The Sun Dance Way), recorded and edited by Michael Fitzgerald. Les Sept Fleches, 2019.

Articles in French

“Le rôle de Frithjof Schuon dans la préservation de l’esprit indien”, in Frithjof Schuon: Connaissance et Voie d’Intéritorité. Connaissance des Religions, 1999.

“Nouvel éclairage sur Black Elk et The Sacred Pipe”, in Harry Oldmeadow, Black Elk et l'héritage de la tradition lakota. Hozhoni, 2020.

“Titus Burckhardt: un grand ami des Indiens d’Amérique”, in Tayeb Chouiref, Titus Burckhardt: Le soufisme entre Orient et Occident, vol. 1, Biographie, souvenirs et témoignages. Éditions Tasnîm, 2020.

Books in Spanish

Yellowtail (Cola Amarilla): Autobiografía de un hombre medicina y jefe de la danza del sol de la tribu cuervo. Hesperus, 1994.

Frithjof Schuon: Mensajero de la Sophia Perennis. José J. Olañeta Editor, 2020.

Articles in Spanish

“Prologo Histórico”, in Edward S. Curtis, Los Debuinos de América. La Pipa Sagrada, 1993.

“Yellowtail”, in Caminos. Mexico City, Mexico, 1997.

“El papel de Frithjof Schuon en la preservatión del espíritu del indio piel roja”, in Frithjof Schuon: Notas biográficas, studios, homenajes. Sophia Perennis, 2004.

Books in Dutch

Stemmen van Indiaanse vrouwen (Spirit of Indian Women). Ankh-Hermes Uitgeverij, 2011.

Books in Japanese

インディアン・スピリット (Indian Spirit). Merkmal Ltd, 2011.

Books in Farsi

Foundations of Christian Art. Hikmat Press.