President Joe Biden designated the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument in Pennsylvania on Monday to honor the resilience of Indigenous tribes whose children were forced to attend the school and similar abusive institutions. The Carlisle Indian Industrial School, which closed in 1918, saw thousands of children from various tribes subjected to forced assimilation policies aimed at erasing Native American traditions. The school served as a model for a network of government-backed Native American boarding schools across 37 states.
Biden, during a White House summit with tribal leaders, highlighted the historical significance of the Carlisle school, where around 7,800 children from over 140 tribes were sent, separated from their families and homelands. The President emphasized the importance of acknowledging and learning from this dark chapter in American history to prevent its repetition.
The designation of the national monument is a significant step in expanding awareness of the federal government's forced assimilation policy. Efforts are underway to return the remains of children buried on the school grounds to their respective tribal lands. The disinterment and repatriation of three children's remains to the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana in September marked a poignant moment in this process.
The Interior Department's investigation revealed that at least 973 Native American children died in government-funded boarding schools over 150 years. Survivors recounted harrowing experiences of abuse, punishment for using native languages, and forced assimilation practices. The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 officially ended the forced assimilation policy.
The creation of the Carlisle National Monument is part of the Biden administration's efforts to address the historical injustices inflicted on Indigenous communities. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a descendant of boarding school survivors, emphasized the importance of educating the public about the government's harmful policies through such initiatives.
The monument, managed by the National Park Service and the U.S. Army on a 25-acre site within the U.S. Army War College campus, signifies a commitment to preserving and honoring the memory of those affected by the boarding school system. Native American tribes and conservation groups are advocating for additional monument designations to further recognize and commemorate the legacy of Indigenous peoples in the United States.
