A Deepening Tragedy: The Untold Story of Native American Deaths in Boarding Schools
Recent investigations have shed new light on the tragic history of Native American children in U.S. boarding schools, revealing a far greater number of deaths than officially acknowledged. A comprehensive report by The Washington Post has documented 3,104 fatalities between 1828 and 1970, tripling previous estimates by the U.S. Interior Department.
Arizona emerges as a significant site of this dark chapter, with 279 student deaths reported, nearly doubling the figures released by the federal government earlier this year. The state had the second-largest number of Indian boarding schools, following Oklahoma, according to recent findings.
In a move to acknowledge the historical trauma endured by tribal communities, President Joe Biden recently declared the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School in Pennsylvania a National Monument. This decision recognizes the systemic efforts to assimilate Native children through forced removal from their families, a practice that has left lasting scars on Native American communities nationwide.
Many of the reported deaths at these institutions were attributed to infectious diseases, malnutrition, and various accidents. Alarmingly, several deaths remain shrouded in mystery, classified under “suspicious circumstances” or potential abuse. Additionally, The Washington Post found that over 800 of these children were buried in cemeteries either on school grounds or nearby, highlighting the grim reality that many bodies were never returned to their families.
In October, President Biden issued a formal apology for the 150-year-old boarding school policy, acknowledging the profound impact it had on Native American tribes. His apology underscores a continuing effort to reconcile and address historical injustices faced by Native communities.
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