Unearthing the Tragic Legacy: Excavation Resumes for Native American Children's Remains at Former Boarding School

Archaeologists in Nebraska are excavating a former Native American boarding school in search of the remains of up to 80 children who died at the school and were buried on the grounds. The Genoa Indian Industrial School was part of a national system of boarding schools that aimed to assimilate Indigenous people into white culture. The school operated from 1884 to 1931 and housed nearly 600 students from over 40 tribes. The search for the cemetery has been ongoing for decades, and recent ground-penetrating radar and canine searches have indicated a possible burial site. If human remains are found, the State Archeology Office will work with the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs to determine the next steps, which could include creating a memorial or returning the bodies to tribes.