On tribal lands this past Friday, President Joe Biden issued a long-overdue apology on behalf of the United States for policies that forcibly removed Indigenous children from their homes, robbing them of their language, culture, and connections to their communities. The statement, made at the Gila River Indian Reservation, holds profound meaning, as the federal government now acknowledges the pain inflicted on Native communities by the U.S.-backed boarding school system—a system intended to erase Indigenous identities through forced assimilation.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and the first Native American to serve in a U.S. Cabinet position, recounted her own family’s experience with these policies, underscoring the strength and resilience that sustained Indigenous people through generations. "The federal government failed," Haaland declared. "It failed to destroy us because we persevered."
Boarding Schools Cherokees Were Forced to Attend: A Legacy of Loss and Resilience
For the Cherokee Nation, the impact of boarding schools runs deep, as Cherokee children were often taken far from their families to institutions that stripped away their cultural identities. Schools like the Cherokee National Male and Female Seminaries—although initially established by the Cherokee Nation itself—later became symbols of forced assimilation, barring students from learning about Cherokee language and traditions. However, other federally and missionary-run schools, such as Hillside Mission School near Skiatook, Oklahoma, and Sequoyah High School (formerly the Cherokee Orphan Asylum), served as more direct agents of cultural erasure under federal oversight.
These boarding schools were part of a larger federal agenda aimed at assimilating Native children. Some children sent to these schools never returned; others who did came back unable to speak Cherokee or understand the traditions of our ancestors. Cherokee families and communities, though profoundly impacted by these policies, worked in secret to preserve language, customs, and identity—ensuring that these cultural elements survived, even if suppressed.
A Federal Acknowledgment of Harm and a Call for Healing
The recently concluded investigation led by Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Bryan Newland expands the scope of this dark legacy. It reveals that the federal boarding school system, from 1871 to 1969, included more than 417 schools across 37 states and confirms the deaths of at least 973 Native children—though the true number is likely higher. The investigation also uncovered 74 burial sites, marking the resting places of countless children who never returned home.
For generations, Indigenous communities, including the Cherokee Nation, have carried the wounds of these policies. Families were torn apart, cultures and languages were suppressed, and cherished lifeways were targeted in the federal attempt to forcefully assimilate Native children. "These institutions are not just part of our past," Newland noted. "Their legacy reaches us today, and is reflected in the wounds people continue to experience."
Moving Forward: Honoring Resilience and Pursuing Restoration
Direct links to both volumes of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative report from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA):
The report doesn’t simply recount history; it calls for meaningful action. It urges the government to invest a sum equivalent to the $23 billion (adjusted for inflation) initially spent on the boarding school system. This funding would support initiatives for family reunification, language revitalization, education, and healing programs that address intergenerational trauma. A national memorial is also proposed to honor the victims and educate the broader population about this chapter of history.
For Indigenous communities, the path to healing is multifaceted. Reclaiming lost languages, reuniting fractured families, and repatriating the remains of children who never came home are steps toward mending these deep wounds. Haaland reminds us, "The Road to Healing does not end with this report—it is just beginning."
As Cherokee people, we recognize the weight of these truths. Our resilience, our languages, and our traditions have survived because we persevered. Yet, this moment of accountability also fuels our determination to heal, to pass our heritage to future generations, and to honor those whose lives were stolen. The road ahead is long, but with commitment, it is one we can walk together toward justice and restoration.
Sources:
Devon A. Mihesuah's book Cultivating the Rosebuds: The Education of Women at the Cherokee Female Seminary, 1851-1909 offers an in-depth look at the Female Seminary’s operations and its role in the broader context of assimilation policies (link)
Oklahoma Historical Society | OHS
The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture provides a detailed overview of the Cherokee Male and Female Seminaries, covering their curriculum, operations, and historical significance (link)
TCU Repository
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