Throughout the history of the United States, Native American communities have faced systematic policies of assimilation and cultural erasure. One of the most devastating aspects of this history is the forced removal of Native American children from their families and placement into Christian run and federally operated boarding schools. These removals, spanning over a century, have left enduring legacies of trauma, linguistic loss, and cultural disruption (Lomawaima & McCarty, 2006).
A Native American city council member interviewed for this study emphasized that, within Indigenous communities, these removals are remembered as state sanctioned kidnapping. He stated, “They were still taking our kids,” highlighting that while the mechanisms evolved over time, the consequences remained profoundly destructive.
Historical Context
The forced removal of Native children began in earnest in the late nineteenth century. In the wake of westward expansion and the U.S. government broader policy of assimilation, Indigenous children were systematically separated from their families (Child, 1998). Federal agents, missionaries, and Indian Affairs officials facilitated these removals, often under threat of withholding food rations, imprisonment, or other punitive measures. Parents frequently had little or no meaningful choice, and resistance could result in severe consequences (Lomawaima & McCarty, 2006).
Once in boarding schools, children were subjected to forced Christianization, compelled to adopt English or European names, and stripped of traditional clothing and hairstyles. Speaking Native languages was strictly forbidden, with violations punished through physical abuse, solitary confinement, or public humiliation. The overarching goal was the eradication of Native identity, summarized in the directive, “Kill the Indian, save the man” (Child, 1998).
Boarding Schools and Systemic Abuse
Life in these institutions was harsh and often dangerous. Reports and testimonies from survivors document widespread physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as forced labor. Children were often malnourished, subjected to grueling work schedules, and exposed to disease in overcrowded dormitories. Thousands died due to neglect, disease, or maltreatment, and many were buried in unmarked graves without notification to their families (U.S. Department of the Interior, 2022). Recent federal and tribal investigations continue to uncover the scale of these losses, affirming the historical trauma experienced by Native communities.
The boarding school system reached its peak in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and, while it began declining after World War II, its effects persisted for decades. The forced removal of children as a tool of assimilation continued under other mechanisms well into the late twentieth century (Lomawaima & McCarty, 2006).
Transition to State Welfare Systems
After the decline of federal boarding schools, state child welfare agencies increasingly assumed the role of removing Native children from their families. While ostensibly conducted under the guise of child protection, these removals were frequently biased, culturally insensitive, and conducted without tribal consent. Before 1978, estimates suggest that 25 to 35 percent of Native American children were placed outside their communities, often in non Native foster or adoptive homes (Child, 1998).
The U.S. Congress passed the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in 1978 to address this systemic injustice. ICWA sought to:
Give tribes authority over child custody cases involving Native children
Require preference for placement within Native families or communities
Acknowledge and counteract the historical destruction caused by prior removal practices (25 U.S.C. §§ 1901–1963, 1978)
Despite these protections, enforcement was inconsistent, and violations persisted through the 1980s and into the early 1990s. From the perspective of Native communities, the interviewee explained, the mechanism changed, but the result did not: “They were still taking our kids” (Lomawaima & McCarty, 2006).
Cultural and Intergenerational Impact
The forced removal of Native children has left long lasting effects on families and communities. These include:
Linguistic loss, as generations were prevented from speaking their mother tongues
Cultural disruption, including weakening of traditional practices and knowledge transmission
Psychological trauma, stemming from abuse, forced separation, and alienation from community
Generational distrust of government institutions
Even decades after the boarding school system formally ended, these effects continue to shape Native communities, highlighting the enduring nature of state sponsored cultural disruption (Child, 1998).
Conclusion
The United States’ forced removal of Native children and their placement into Christian boarding schools represents a systematic attempt at cultural assimilation, with consequences that reverberate to the present. While federal boarding schools largely ceased operations by the 1970s, the continuation of child removals through state welfare agencies extended the trauma into the late twentieth century. This historical record underscores the importance of acknowledging state responsibility, upholding legal protections such as ICWA, and supporting the revitalization of Native languages and cultures.
A Native American city council member interviewed for this report emphasized the continuity of this experience: “They were still taking our kids.” This testimony serves as a reminder that historical policies, though no longer officially sanctioned, continue to influence the lived experiences of Native communities today.
Timeline of Forced Removal and Boarding Schools
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1870s | Federal boarding schools established children forcibly removed from families |
| 1880s - 1930s | Peak operation of boarding schools cultural assimilation policies enforced |
| 1940s - 1950s | Decline in federal boarding school operations state welfare systems assume larger role |
| 1978 | Indian Child Welfare Act ICWA passed to protect Native children from removal |
| 1980s - 1990s | State level violations of ICWA continue removal of Native children persists in some areas |
References
Child, B. J. (1998). Boarding school seasons: American Indian families 1900-1940. University of Nebraska Press.
Lomawaima, K. T., & McCarty, T. L. (2006). To remain an Indian: Lessons in democracy from a century of Native American education. Teachers College Press.
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs. (2022). Investigation of boarding schools and Native child removals. Federal Records.
Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 U.S.C. §§ 1901–1963 (1978).
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