United States Cuts Funding for Native American History Projects

The administration of President Donald Trump has decided to cut federal funding for projects aimed at collecting, documenting, and digitizing stories about the systemic mistreatment of Native American children in U.S. government-established boarding schools. In total, at least $1.6 million in funding was slashed. These projects focused on documenting tragic chapters of American history and supporting programs to preserve Native American cultural heritage.

Deborah Parker, Executive Director of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, stated that restoring the truth about the past should be part of America's healing process. According to her, acknowledging the history of forced assimilation of children is a vital step toward societal healing and fair treatment of Native peoples.

Historically, for a century and a half, the United States pursued a policy of forced assimilation of Native Americans. Children were removed from their families and sent to boarding schools, where they were prohibited from speaking their native languages and punished for preserving their identity. According to a U.S. Department of the Interior investigation, at least 973 Native children died in government-funded boarding schools. Independent experts believe the real number could be much higher.

The policy of forced assimilation officially ended with the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act, which recognized the importance of respecting Native cultural traditions. However, a full national investigation into boarding school practices was not initiated until recently.

Only under President Joe Biden’s administration did the Department of the Interior launch an official process to study the history of these institutions, publicly apologizing for the harm caused. Planned projects included collecting testimonies, interviewing survivors, and creating educational archives.

The Trump administration’s decision to cut funding sparked criticism from human rights advocates, Native representatives, and historians, who argue that withholding support hinders historical justice and prolongs social trauma.

Despite the funding cuts, the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition continues to seek alternative funding sources to complete its work. Deborah Parker emphasized that remembering the fate of children stripped of their language, culture, and family ties is essential.

Historians note that children in boarding schools were subjected not only to cultural erasure but also to physical punishment, medical experiments, and psychological trauma. The broader policy aimed to displace Native peoples from their lands and destroy their way of life, leaving lasting scars on American history.

Despite apologies and partial reforms, the lack of full support for historical justice initiatives remains a serious concern. Native communities continue to fight for their rights, calling for tangible actions beyond symbolic gestures.

At this stage, the future of many documentation projects remains uncertain. Native leaders express hope that efforts to preserve memory will continue and help build a more just future.

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