"Message senders" include anyone and anything that provide information to us that we can then use to shape our understanding of others, events, and our surroundings. Textbooks are very influential message senders in the formal kindergarten through 12th grade school systems in the United States. The realities of students reading these textbooks are shaped by the information printed, especially of things that are unfamiliar and unavailable to them. Textbooks used during the past century to present historical information about the Native American inhabitants of Nebraska were gathered and analyzed for themes and for differences within the information presented. Although it is impossible to assess the impact of these message senders on students and the Native American people over time, it is important to acknowledge their existence and to learn from the past to ensure that current and future students are provided accurate information to shape their realities.