American Indian residential schools, also known as Indian boarding schools, were a system of government-funded institutions in the United States designed to assimilate Native American children into Euro-American culture from the late 19th century through much of the 20th century. Established primarily after the Civil War, these schools—over 500 in total, often run by churches—aimed to “civilize” Indigenous youth by eradicating their languages, traditions, and identities, encapsulated in the infamous motto “Kill the Indian, save the man.” The first major school, Carlisle Indian Industrial School, opened in 1879 in Pennsylvania and served as a model for others nationwide. Children as young as five were forcibly removed from their families, sometimes hundreds of miles away, and subjected to harsh conditions: they were forbidden from speaking native languages, wearing traditional clothing, or practicing cultural rituals. Reports document widespread physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, malnutrition, disease outbreaks, and high mortality rates—thousands of children died, often buried in unmarked graves. The system lasted until the 1970s, when public outcry and Native activism led to its decline, though many schools operated into the 1990s. The legacy endures as intergenerational trauma, contributing to higher rates of poverty, substance abuse, and mental health issues in Native communities. Recent federal investigations, including a 2022 U.S. Department of the Interior report, have acknowledged these atrocities and called for reparations and healing efforts.
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