Truth & Healing | Red Cloud Indian School

Truth and Healing

Opening Dialogue on Red Cloud’s Boarding School History

From its founding in 1888 until 1980, Red Cloud was an Indian boarding school—one of over 350 institutions established in the nineteenth century created to eliminate Indigenous cultures, languages, and spiritual traditions through the assimilation of Native children. We recognize we can never authentically serve our community, or honor our own staff members, students and families, parishioners, and artists with whom we partner, if we do not first openly and humbly address the tragic injustices in our past.

Our Priorities

GPR Report Update Statement

During the week of October 16th, a forensic excavation was conducted in the basement of Drexel Hall to further investigate an eyewitness testimony of potentially unmarked graves. Mahpiya Luta - Red Cloud is thankful for the eyewitness's courage to step forward and share their testimony.

The purpose of the forensic excavation was to investigate two anomalies that were found through ground penetrating radar technology in May 2022. In October, the excavation team investigated the entire area surrounding the two anomalies by digging and surveying the soil. The first anomaly was related to building products (mortar for laying bricks and nails). The second anomaly was related to animal activity (several places where rodents burrowed). The FBI and community members were present and involved throughout the duration of the soil survey.

To be clear, no human remains were found in the soil survey.

There will be an official report produced by the excavation team led by Marsha Small (Northern Cheyenne) and her team at Ohio Valley Archeology, once a final examination of soil samples from the site has been analyzed. As soon as the report is made available to us, we will post it here and make it available on our social media.

Get Involved

If you or a member of your family boarded at Holy Rosary Mission and would like to share some of your story from boarding school, please reach out to one of the folks below:

Mary Irving (605) 407-2484,
Cecilia Fire Thunder (605) 407-2857,
Maka Black Elk at (605) 867-5491 ext 2212,
Rudy "Red Dog" Balles (605) 454-2072
or email Maka Black Elk at makablackelk@redcloudschool.org

Updates

Findings in the Archive: Webinar Conversation on Red Cloud Truth and Healing March 14, 2023

Minutes from February 14th Community Advisory Meeting:

The Truth and Healing Advisory Council consists of elders, former boarders, and other community representatives and provides feedback and guidance on Red Cloud's Truth and Healing. These are the minutes for their February 14th meeting.

October Updates:

Updates on collecting testimony from boarders, ground penetrating radar results, and an update on research from the archives at Marquette University.

Minutes from August 31 Community Advisory Council Meeting:

August Updates:

Updates on a trip to the Marquette Archives with former boarders, the results of our May 2022 Ground Penetrating Radar Scan and updates on our ongoing research efforts.

May Updates:

This past month, GPR came to the campus through an important demonstration for our wider community as we invited Marsha Small (Northern Cheyenne) and her team at Ohio Valley Archeology, Inc to tell us about the instruments, what the results look like, and demonstrate the technology first hand.

Minutes From May 2nd Community Advisory Council Gathering:

Red Cloud Statement on Federal Indian Boarding School Report from the U.S. Department of the Interior:

The United States Department of the Interior issued its report on Indian Boarding Schools. The report is an official acknowledgment and accounting of Indian boarding schools by the department that oversaw them. issued an historic apology to a delegation of survivors, descendants, and other representatives from Indigenous communities in Canada for the harm caused by boarding schools.

Red Cloud Statement on Pope Francis's Apology for Boarding Schools:

Pope Francis issued an historic apology to a delegation of survivors, descendants, and other representatives from Indigenous communities in Canada for the harm caused by boarding schools.

March Updates:

We are excited to announce a new initiative: the Mahpiya Luta Wówičakȟe na Wóasniye Radio Hour. The Radio Show will help inform the oyate about our work, include the community in ongoing efforts, and support the wider process of opening up the history of boarding schools across North America.

Indian Country Today:

Red Cloud Indian School is taking the lead among Christian-run schools in coming to terms with its assimilationist past. The Jesuits have given Red Cloud a $20,000 grant to help in the work, including conducting searches with ground-penetrating radar for unmarked graves, and have allocated $50,000 to hire an archivist for one year to examine the order’s boarding school history at its archives in St. Louis.

January Updates:

We held two meetings in December with elders who boarded at Holy Rosary; one in Pine Ridge and another gathering in Rapid City. The participants shared their experiences at Holy Rosary and provided feedback and wishes for Truth and Healing. If you or a relative boarded at Holy Rosary or Our Lady of Lourdes and would be interested in participating in this initiative, please reach out to us here.

The Mahpiya Luta Wówičakȟe na Wóasniye Radio Hour

Red Cloud Truth and Healing Radio Hour seeks to inform people in the community about our work and support the wider process of opening up the history of boarding schools across North America. The show airs through KILI every week on Mondays alternating every week between 9am and 5pm.

Maka Black Elk on: Confronting the Role of the Catholic Church in Indian Boarding Schools

The Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition:

The Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) was created to develop and implement a national strategy that increases public awareness and cultivates healing for the profound trauma experienced by individuals, families, communities, American Indian and Alaska Native Nations resulting from the U.S. adoption and implementation of the Boarding School Policy of 1869.

Resource List for Trauma Responses:

NABS has compiled a list of resources for both immediate assistance (call or text lines where someone can talk with you immediately) and more long-term care (resources for finding care providers who specialize in treating traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression).

Red Cloud Indian School Historical Records:

Held in Marquette University’s Special Collections and University Archives.