Warning: The story below contains details of Indigenous boarding schools that may be upsetting. The US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Recently, a federal report revealed that at least 973 Indigenous children died while attending boarding schools supported by the United States government. The report, commissioned by US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, uncovered dozens of graves at over 400 US boarding schools, shedding light on a dark chapter in history.
Established to assimilate Indigenous children into white society, these schools inflicted immense trauma through abuse and mistreatment. Survivors recount being stripped of their languages, cultures, and connections, leading to intergenerational suffering within their communities.
Following the report, calls for accountability and reparations have intensified, with Indigenous leaders urging investigations into unmarked graves at former school sites. The discovery of similar grave sites in Canada ignited a national reckoning, prompting efforts to locate the remains of children who never returned home.
As the US grapples with its past, there are demands for official acknowledgment, apologies, and measures to address the enduring impact of these institutions. The road to healing is long, but it begins with acknowledging and confronting a forgotten history.