Report Reveals Over 3,100 Native American Children Died in U.S. Boarding Schools

New investigation uncovers a death toll three times higher than previous estimates, highlighting systemic abuse and neglect from the 19th to 20th centuries.

An investigation by the Washington Post documented 3,104 deaths of Native American children in U.S. boarding schools between 1828 and 1970, far exceeding the government's prior estimate of 973.
These schools, intended to forcibly assimilate Native children into European settler culture, often subjected students to harsh conditions akin to prison camps.
Children died from diseases, malnutrition, accidents, and in some cases under suspicious circumstances, with evidence of abuse contributing to fatalities.
The investigation revealed that over 800 children were buried in or near school grounds, and many families never received their loved ones' remains.
President Joe Biden recently apologized for these atrocities, calling them a 'sin that stains our soul,' while his administration has implemented measures to support Native communities and address historical injustices.