Uncovering the Legacy of Carlisle: Native American Students' Lost Identities Resurface

Efforts by the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes to recover the identities of students lost to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School highlight the dark legacy of U.S. boarding schools on Native American communities.

Matavito Horse and Leah Road Traveler were among the first students at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, taken in October 1879 to erase their Native identities.
Both Matavito, a Cheyenne boy, and Leah, an Arapaho girl, died shortly after their arrival, representing the tragic fate of many at this federal boarding school.
The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma have successfully repatriated the remains of 16 children from a cemetery at the Carlisle school, reclaiming lost identities.

Why It Matters

This event underscores the historical trauma inflicted by the federal government of the United States on Native American tribes and emphasizes the importance of repatriation in healing these communities. It also sheds light on ongoing discussions about race and ethnicity in the United States census.