These essays were drawn from the papers presented at the Linguistic Society of America's Summer Institute at the State University of New York at Oswego in 1976. The contents are as follows:
- Lyle Campbell and Marianne Mithun, "Introduction: North American Indian Historical Linguistics in Current Perspective"
- Ives Goddard, "Comparative Algonquian"
- Marianne Mithun, "Iroquoian"
- Wallace L. Chafe, "Caddoan"
- David S. Rood, "Siouan"
- Mary R. Haas, "Southeastern Languages"
- James M. Crawford, "Timucua and Yuchi: Two Language Isolates of the Southeast"
- Ives Goddard, "The Languages of South Texas and the Lower Rio Grande"
- Irvine Davis, "The Kiowa-Tanoan, Keresan, and Zuni Languages"
- Susan Steele, "Uto-Aztecan: An Assessment for Historical and
- Comparative Linguistics"
- William H. Jacobsen, Jr., "Hokan lnter-Branch Comparisons"
- Margaret Langdon, "Some Thoughts on Hokan with Particular Reference to Pomoan and Yuman"
- Michael Silverstein, ''Penutian: An Assessment"
- Laurence C. Thompson, "Salishan and the Northwest"
- William H. Jacobsen, Jr., "Wakashan Comparative Studies"
- William H. Jacobsen, Jr., "Chimakuan Comparative Studies"
- Michael E. Krauss, "Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut"
- Lyle CampbelI, "Middle American Languages"
- Eric S. Hamp, "A Glance from Now On."