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Native American Boarding Schools: A Lost History
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Overview
This video explores the history and impact of Native American boarding schools in the United States, a system designed to assimilate Indigenous children by suppressing their culture and languages. Fueled by federal funding and often run by religious organizations, these schools forcibly removed children from their families, subjected them to harsh conditions, and inflicted lasting trauma. While the full extent of these schools and the number of children affected remain unknown, recent discoveries and growing awareness are prompting a federal investigation and a reckoning with this painful past. The summary highlights the importance of acknowledging this history and its ongoing impact on Indigenous communities.
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Chapters
- The discovery of children's bodies at a Canadian boarding school has prompted a re-examination of similar institutions in the U.S.
- Learning Indigenous languages, like Anishinaabemowin, is a way to reclaim cultural identity suppressed by past policies.
- Professor Gabriel DeRosier's family history illustrates the personal impact of these schools, including trauma and broken family structures.
This chapter introduces the topic by connecting a recent event to the broader historical context, emphasizing the ongoing relevance and personal impact of this history.
Professor Gabriel DeRosier teaching Anishinaabemowin on land where speaking the language was once forbidden and punished.
- Native American boarding schools operated for about 100 years, starting in the 1860s, and were federally funded.
- The primary goal was cultural assimilation, aiming to 'civilize' Native Americans by eradicating their traditions and languages.
- Federal funding initially went to churches, establishing a model of government-backed, faith-based institutions for Indigenous children.
Understanding the origins and stated goals of these schools is crucial to grasping the systemic nature of the assimilation policies and their intended impact.
President Ulysses Grant providing federal money to churches to establish these schools, believing they would manage funds without corruption.
- Captain Richard Henry Pratt established the first federally funded off-reservation boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
- Pratt's philosophy was to 'kill the Indian in him, and save the man,' reflecting a belief in forced assimilation.
- Propaganda, including 'before and after' photos, was used to demonstrate the supposed success of the assimilation experiment.
The Carlisle school served as a blueprint for many other institutions, making its founder's philosophy and methods central to understanding the broader boarding school system.
Captain Richard Henry Pratt's quote: 'They must get into the swim of American citizenship, kill the Indian in him, and save the man.'
- Hundreds of boarding schools operated across the U.S., with estimates suggesting a significant percentage of Indigenous children attended.
- Official records are incomplete, making the exact number of schools and students difficult to determine.
- Attendance was often mandatory, with parents facing severe penalties like jail time or withheld rations if they refused to send their children.
This chapter highlights the vast scale of the boarding school system and the coercive tactics used, underscoring that attendance was often not a choice for families.
Laws were enacted that mandated attendance, and parents could be jailed or have their food rations withheld if they resisted sending their children to these schools.
- Many students endured brutal conditions, including being stripped of their names (assigned numbers), having their hair cut (symbolically significant in many cultures), and wearing uniforms.
- While many accounts describe harsh treatment and trauma, not all experiences were uniformly negative.
- Some individuals, like the grandmother of Dr. Kate Bean, had positive experiences learning practical skills at certain schools.
This section acknowledges the widespread suffering and trauma caused by the schools while also recognizing the complexity and varied individual experiences within the system.
Students being given uniforms, having their hair cut, and being referred to only by a number instead of their given names.
- There is a growing movement to acknowledge the trauma caused by boarding schools and to shed light on this history.
- The federal government, through the Interior Department, is now investigating records and using tools like ground-penetrating radar to uncover the truth.
- Acknowledgement and recognition of the history and its impact are seen as essential first steps toward healing.
This chapter focuses on the present-day efforts to address the legacy of boarding schools, emphasizing the importance of official recognition and investigation for reconciliation.
The U.S. federal government launching an investigation into boarding school records and using ground-penetrating radar to search for unmarked graves.
Key takeaways
- Native American boarding schools were a systematic effort by the U.S. government to forcibly assimilate Indigenous children by eradicating their cultures and languages.
- The goal of 'killing the Indian' to 'save the man' drove the policies and practices within these institutions.
- Coercion, including legal penalties and withholding of resources, was used to ensure children attended these schools.
- While many students suffered immense trauma and abuse, individual experiences within the boarding school system varied.
- The full scope of the boarding school system, including the number of institutions and children affected, is still not fully known due to incomplete records.
- Current efforts focus on acknowledging this painful history, investigating potential unmarked graves, and understanding the lasting impact on Indigenous communities.
- Reclaiming Indigenous languages and cultural practices is a vital part of healing and resisting the legacy of assimilation.
Key terms
Native American Boarding SchoolsCultural GenocideAssimilationAnishinaabemowinRichard Henry PrattCarlisle Indian Industrial SchoolFederal FundingIndigenous LanguagesTraumaAcknowledgement
Test your understanding
- What was the primary goal of the Native American boarding school system?
- How did the U.S. government and religious organizations collaborate to establish and operate these schools?
- What methods were used to enforce attendance at boarding schools, and what were the consequences for parents who resisted?
- Why is it important to acknowledge the history of Native American boarding schools, even though the full extent of their impact is still being uncovered?
- How does the legacy of boarding schools continue to affect Indigenous communities today?