For 150 years, the United States government operated boarding schools that separated Native American children from their families and communities. The government's goal was to eradicate native languages and culture. At least 17 US Indian boarding schools existed in Washington State.

A new report from the Department of Interior outlines the scale and impact of the government's effort. It identifies by name almost 19,000 native children who were sent to boarding schools across the US and roughly 1000 children who died in the boarding school system, including 60 in Washington State.

While the report is among the first of its kind, native leaders are saying it's just a start towards understanding the impact of these schools. Deborah Parker, a citizen of the Tulalip tribes and Chief Executive of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, talks about where things stand in light of the new report.

Guests: Deborah Parker, Chief Executive of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition

Relevant links: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/60-native-children-from-northwest-died-in-u-s-boarding-schools-among-nearly-1000-deaths-nationwide/

american-boarding-schools.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/us/politics/native-american-boarding-schools.html

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.