Federal Report Uncovers Tragic History of Indian Boarding Schools

A federal report reveals that at least 973 Native American children died at Indian Boarding Schools between 1819 and 1969. The report calls for a U.S. government apology and highlights the forced assimilation policy that separated children from their families. Recommendations for remedial actions to address intergenerational trauma are included.

A federal report has revealed that at least 973 Native American children died at Indian Boarding Schools between 1819 and 1969. The report calls for the U.S. government to apologize for the 150-year-long forced assimilation policy designed to separate children from their families and obliterate tribal identity.

According to the U.S. Department of the Interior study, many of the deceased children were buried at 65 former schools across the nation, in at least 74 marked and unmarked burial sites. This marks the second and final report on the schools, commissioned by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary in the United States.

Haaland, from New Mexico's Pueblo of Laguna tribe, shared personal accounts of horrors suffered by her grandmother and other relatives forced to attend the schools. The report also details the extent of physical and sexual abuse endured by the children, who were stripped of their names and forbidden from speaking their native languages. Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs, Bryan Newland, emphasized that federal policies aimed to dismantle tribal cultures and seize territories.

The department identified 18,624 Indian children who attended the Federal Indian Boarding School system, although many more are believed to have been enrolled. Religious groups operated 210 of the 417 schools, funded by U.S. government allocations. With over $23.3 billion (adjusted for 2023 inflation) spent on these operations, the report suggests a similar sum be invested in addressing the intergenerational trauma these schools have caused.