Joseph Marshall, III

Joseph Marshall III was born and raised on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota and was an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Raised in a traditional Lakota household by his maternal grandparents, his first language was Lakota. It was in that rich cultural environment that he also learned the ancient art of oral storytelling.

Marshall went on to teach at both the high school and college levels and helped develop Native studies curricula. He worked for several years with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe before transitioning to a full-time writing career. As an author, he published nine nonfiction books, three novels, a collection of short stories and essays, and several screenplays. His works have been translated and published internationally, including in France, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Korea, China, Japan, Romania, Brazil, Spain, and Israel. His books received numerous awards, including recognition for both written and audio editions.

Beyond writing, Marshall appeared in television documentaries and served as a technical advisor for films. He was a narrator and technical advisor for the six-part TNT and DreamWorks Television miniseries Into the West, in which he also portrayed Loved by the Buffalo, a Lakota medicine man. A skilled practitioner of traditional Lakota archery, he learned to handcraft bows and arrows from his grandfather and was also an expert in wilderness survival.

Joseph Marshall III passed away on April 18, 2025, after a long illness, leaving behind a powerful legacy of storytelling, cultural preservation, and education.