Histiry of Native American/Alaskans Education By Tanner D., KateLynn C., Andrew D., Simeon C. and Teagan D.

By TeaganDeD

  • Missionary Educators (1810)

    In 1810, Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches started the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, which had begun sending missionaries abroad and began targeting Native American tribes in 1812, they saw them as heathens and used Manifest Destiny to justify their spreading of republican government to Indian nations to then spread Protestantism and Anglo-Saxon culture by converting tribal leaders who would then convert their tribesmen.

  • Civilization Fund Act

    On March 3rd, 1819, the Civilization Fund Act was passed. This gave the American government the right to try and help “civilize” native peoples. They would begin the assimilation process via teachers and schools, eventually boarding schools, where students were forced to cut their hair, adopt new names and forced to speak English.

  • Indian Removal Act (1830)

    In 1830, Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act, this allowed him to create lands to the west of the Mississippi so he could give their lands east of the river to White settlers. This led to the Trail of Tears, where nations were forced off their lands where they died of diseases and the dangers of the frontier on their way to Oklahoma.

  • Cherokee Removal (1838)

    In 1838, Winfield Scott with a military detachment was in charge of Cherokee removal. Scott proclaimed that all Cherokee men, women, and children should be heading west within the month, he then marched on their homes, looting and burning them and forcing families into stockades while hunting down others through fields and forests. They abducted children and stole cattle and livestock and left those in stockades destitute.

  • Cherokee Female Seminary

    The Cherokee Female Seminary was established to educate Cherokee women in their community. The school taught a wife variety of subjects from mathematics, to art to language skills. The goal of this school was to prepare these women for their future as members of the Cherokee community, as leaders in politics, economics and day to day life

  • Alaskan Natives (1867)

    In 1867, Alaska and its Native population was purchased from Russia with the agreement that the inhabitants could return to Russia or become U.S. citizen later on. The treaty also stated that “uncivilized tribes will be subject to laws and regulations as the United States may, from time to time, adopt in regard to aboriginal tribes of that country.” Because of this, those Alaskan Natives were denied citizenship while still being purchased by the U.S. along with the land against their wills.

  • Carlisle Indian Industrial School Founded

    Founded in 1879, the Carlisle Indian Industrial School served as an institution to assimilate indigenous children into white culture. In this school, students sere forced to cut their hair, were not allowed to speak their native language, and were instead forced to speak English. Their belongings were taken away and they were given Christian names. Though only open for 40 years, this school would set the tone for future Native American boarding school, who enforced similar policies.

  • Dawes Act

    The Dawes Act allowed the U.S government to divide up the reservation tribal lands to individual allotments. Native americans who accepted the allotments of land were then allowed to become U.S citizens. What came of this was more or less the dissolving of the tribal governments. Many more children were taken to the schools like Carlisle Indian Industrial School, furthering the connection they had with their culture.

  • Meriam Report

    Commissioned by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Meriam Report was a seminal federal study that exposed the realities of Indian boarding schools. It found rampant neglect, poor nutrition, substandard medical care, and educational programs below minimal standards. The report marked a shift in public awareness and called for reforms to improve Native education and living standards.

  • John Collier’s BIA Leadership

    John Collier served as the Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) during Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal era. Collier advocated for tribal self-government and cultural preservation policies, which were in sharp contrast with the earlier policies of assimilation. Collier played a significant role in bringing about reforms like the Indian Reorganization Act and sought an end to forced assimilation through federal policies that were more respectful.

  • Indian Reorganization Act

    The Indian Reorganization Act was a significant piece of legislation designed to overturn decades of assimilationist policy. It dissolved the allotment system established by the Dawes Act and promoted tribes to establish self-governing councils and maintain their cultural identities. It also allowed for the return of certain lands to tribal control and fostered the preservation of Native traditions and languages

  • Navajo Code Talkers Program (1940s)

    Navajo speakers were recruited by the U.S. military during World War II to create a secret communication system using their language that became the Navajo Code Talkers program. These Native Marines played a key role in helping the U.S. win battles in the Pacific. Their service illustrated the strategic importance of Native language and knowledge, even as Native cultures continued to be repressed domestically in policy.

  • Rough rock demonstration school (1966- present)

    This school was designed to help the Navajo people preserve culture and get the education needed. This school was funded by the bureau of Indian affairs but was controlled locally by parents and Navajo leadership. The curriculum was set to display c culture history and traditions.

  • Indian education act

    The Indian education act established the office of Indian education and national advisory council. It also provided federal funding for American Indians of all grade levels. It empowered parents to start advisory boards for public schools and boarding schools that have programs for Indian students.

  • Indian self- determination and education assistance act

    The Indian self-determination and education assistance act 1975 allowed tribes to get responsibility for programs and services they received. It also insured that they were involved in how the programs were used so that way they could make sure all the local needs were met.

  • Native American languages act

    The native American language act allowed Native American languages to be preserved. It declared that native languages could be used in schools. Students were better able to express themselves and were able to better understand what was being taught. By using native languages it preserved not only the language but the tribes cultural values.

  • Indian Nations at Risk Report

    In 1991, the U.S. Department of Education released the Indian Nations at Risk report, highlighting the severe crisis in Native American education. The report documented high dropout rates, loss of Native languages, and poor academic outcomes. It urged schools and policymakers to respect tribal cultures, develop Native language programs, and include Native communities in decision-making. It remains an important reference for Indigenous education reform efforts today.

  • Every Student Succeeds Act

    Signed into law in 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replaced No Child Left Behind. ESSA gave states more flexibility in setting educational standards and accountability measures. Critically for Native communities, it included new provisions supporting tribal consultation, Native language programs, and culturally relevant teaching. It marked progress in recognizing the sovereignty of tribal nations in education and the unique needs of Native students.

  • Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission

    The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada, active from 2008 to 2015, examined abuses in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools, where Indigenous children were forced to assimilate and suffered neglect and abuse. In 2015, the TRC released 94 Calls to Action to address the harms and promote reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and Canada. The TRC’s work has deeply influenced public understanding and spurred changes in policy, education, and cultural awareness.

  • Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative

    Launched in 2021 by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative began investigating the dark history of U.S. Indian boarding schools. These schools, run for over a century, separated Native children from their families and cultures, causing lasting trauma. The initiative seeks to identify burial sites, documents, and survivor stories, aiming for truth, accountability, and healing for Native communities impacted by this painful legacy.