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‘12 years of hell’: Indian boarding school survivors share their stories

Forced by the federal government to attend the schools, Native American children were sexually assaulted, beaten and emotionally abused

August 7, 2023

21 min

Jim LaBelle, 76, at home in Anchorage. LaBelle is an Indian boarding school survivor who as a child was addressed by a number instead of his name. (Salwan Georges/The Washington Post)

By Dana Hedgpeth

They were stripped of their clothes and scrubbed with lye soap. Matrons cut their long hair. Speaking their tribal language could lead to a beating.

Taken from their homes on reservations, Native American children — some as young as 5 — were forced to attend Indian boarding schools as part of an effort by the federal government to wipe out their languages and culture and assimilate them into White society.

What readers are saying

The comments reflect a strong condemnation of the historical and ongoing mistreatment of Native Americans, particularly through the lens of the Indian boarding schools. Many commenters express outrage at the abuse and cultural genocide perpetrated by the U.S. government and... Show more

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By Dana Hedgpeth

Dana Hedgpeth is a Native American journalist who has been at The Post for 25 years. She is an enrolled member of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe of North Carolina. At The Post, she has covered topics including Native Americans and their history, Pentagon spending, the U.S. defense industry, and the local rail and bus systems, governments and courts.@postmetrogirl

‘12 years of hell’: Indian boarding school survivors share their stories

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