Century-Old Trauma: Native Children’s Remains Return Home

A dark chapter of U.S. history resurfaced this week as the remains of nine Lakota children – sent to a government boarding school in 1879 – finally returned to their ancestral lands. Their homecoming after 100+ years exposes a painful legacy of forced assimilation policies targeting Indigenous communities.

The Backstory: U.S. Army Captain Richard Pratt pioneered these “schools” with the chilling motto: “Kill the Indian, save the man.” Children from Pine Ridge and Rose Bud were taken 1,500 miles to Pennsylvania’s Carlisle school, stripped of their language, culture, and families.

Why It Matters: Over 500 Native American boarding schools operated across the U.S. until the 1970s. Survivors describe systemic abuse, while historians estimate thousands of children never returned home. This repatriation – part of a growing movement – symbolizes both unresolved grief and demands for truth.

Healing Forward: Tribal leaders emphasize that returning stolen ancestors is just the first step. “You can’t bury trauma with secrets,” said one advocate. “We’re rewriting history – with our voices.”

Reference(s):

The Race Gap in the U.S.: Secrets can't be buried forever

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