Tragic Legacy: Native American Boarding School Deaths Uncovered

An investigation revealed that at least 973 Native American children died in abusive U.S. government boarding schools, calling for a federal apology. Native children experienced harsh assimilation practices over 150 years, with former students recounting traumatic experiences. The report urges the government to implement programs for healing and education.

An investigation has disclosed that at least 973 Native American children perished in the U.S. government's abusive boarding school system, as revealed by officials on Tuesday. The investigation, overseen by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, uncovered both marked and unmarked graves at 65 of over 400 boarding schools designed to forcibly assimilate Native American children into white society.

Findings indicate that causes of death ranged from sickness and accidents to outright abuse during a period spanning 150 years, concluding in 1969. The investigation followed multiple listening sessions across the nation where former students shared their harrowing experiences, including being punished for speaking their native languages and undergoing solitary confinement.

Interior officials emphasized the need for a federal apology, complemented by substantial investment in education, violence prevention, and the revitalization of indigenous languages to aid Native American communities in healing from these historical traumas.