Unearthing the Tragic Fate of Native American Boarding School Children

Archaeologists have begun excavating a field in Nebraska in search of the remains of children who died at the Genoa Indian industrial school, one of over 400 Native American boarding schools that separated Indigenous children from their families. The grave sites of these children have been lost for decades, but with the help of newspaper clippings, records, and ground-penetrating radar, researchers have identified a potential burial site. The excavation process will determine if there are human remains present, and if so, the state archaeology office will work with the Nebraska commission on Indian affairs to decide the next steps, which could include reburial or returning the remains to tribes. The federal government is also examining the boarding school system, with an initial report released in 2022.