📚The boarding school era was an attempt to assimilate Native children into white culture.
🏫Boarding schools stripped away Native identity, language, and culture.
💔The boarding school system caused long-lasting trauma to Native children.
⚖️Students at boarding schools were subjected to physical and emotional abuse.
✊🏽Native communities have shown resilience and continue to preserve their culture and traditions.
How were Native children punished in boarding schools?
—Native children were punished for speaking their own language and practicing their own religion. Punishments included physical abuse, emotional abuse, and isolation.
What was the purpose of boarding schools?
—The purpose of boarding schools was to assimilate Native children into white culture. The schools aimed to strip away Native identity, language, and culture.
How did the boarding school era impact Native communities?
—The boarding school era caused long-lasting trauma and had a devastating impact on Native communities. It resulted in the loss of language, culture, and traditional practices. However, Native communities have shown resilience and continue to preserve their culture and traditions.
Were there any positive aspects of boarding schools?
—While the boarding school era was primarily marked by trauma and abuse, some students were able to access education and acquire skills that helped them navigate the dominant society in later life.
Are there still boarding schools for Native children today?
—There are no longer federally-run boarding schools for Native children in the United States. However, the effects of the boarding school era continue to impact Native communities to this day.
00:01The Native American boarding school era was a dark chapter in American history, where the goal was to assimilate Native children into white culture.
08:46Native communities experienced forced removal from their homelands and violent movements to clear the way for white settlers.
09:19The 1868 Treaty with the Navajo required Native children to attend school.
11:16Carlisle Indian Boarding School in Pennsylvania was founded in 1879 and practiced harsh methods of assimilation.
13:00Haskell Indian School in Kansas aimed to separate Native children from their cultural identity.
19:40The experiences in boarding schools varied, but many Native children faced punishments, abuse, and a loss of culture.
21:30The trauma of the boarding school era continues to impact Native communities today.
22:26Some former boarding school sites are now recognized as places of historic trauma.
