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A federal investigation has revealed that over 900 American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children died in U.S. government boarding schools between 1819 and 1969, with the actual number likely higher. The tragic legacy of trauma, abuse, neglect, and despair has affected generations of Indigenous peoples who were forcibly assimilated. The schools aimed to erase children’s Indigenous identities while preparing them for menial jobs in American society. The report calls for an official apology from the U.S. government, as well as adoption of cultural revitalization policies to support efforts such as language revitalization and traditional practices.

The report, released in May 2022, documented the conditions in the 417 federally run Indian boarding schools in the United States, revealing personal accounts of the children’s suffering. One former student recalled the village being quiet after the children were taken away, while another remembered the sounds of crying and despair at night. The report acknowledges that the tally of children who died in boarding schools is likely higher due to unaccounted for schools and children who attended schools run by religious organizations.

The Assistant Interior Secretary recommended several measures for the federal government to pursue, including addressing present-day impacts of the boarding school system, establishing a national memorial, repatriating children’s remains, and returning former school sites to tribes. Indigenous rights activists emphasize the importance of truth and reconciliation, with the United States being urged to assist in providing paths to recovery for impacted individuals, families, and tribes.

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