"Landmark Law Restores Dignity: Native American Remains Returned for Reburial in Illinois"

A new law in Illinois, called The Human Remains Protection Act, aims to expedite the repatriation of Native American remains that were dug up and held for study in educational facilities or displayed in cultural locales. The law grants tribes the authority to rebury recovered remains in Illinois, rather than relocating them to states where the U.S. government forced their relocation. The Illinois State Museum is prepared to reunify 1,100 remains with their tribes, and institutions in Illinois can identify nearly 13,000 individuals that must be repatriated. The law also strengthens penalties for disturbing human remains and requires meaningful consultation between holding institutions and tribes.