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 Statement

On May 18-23, 2022, Marsha Small (Northern Cheyenne) and Ohio Valley Archaeology, Inc. (OVAI) carried out Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) on the campus of Red Cloud Indian School. The scan served to demonstrate the GPR technology to the Pine Ridge community on the front lawn as well as scan one testimonial site of a possible grave.

Report Findings

The report indicated two major findings: 1) The area front lawn shows no signs of grave-like anomalies. 2) The testimonial site in Drexel Hall does indicate two anomalies that cannot be definitively identified and recommends further investigation.
The full report from Marsha Small and OVAI is available below.

Next Steps

Marsha Small and OVAI provided the following recommendation for moving forward: “Though definitive indications of graves are not present in the radar data, areas of small, distinct differences are visible in the slice maps from beneath the concrete. Removal of the concrete and careful excavation of the sediment below is recommended to test this area for indications of graves.”
Red Cloud is committed to a transparent and full process of investigation. We will be working again with Marsha Small and OVAI to follow their recommendations. The removal of concrete and excavation will take place in October 2022 where law enforcement, spiritual advisors, and the community member who brought forward the testimony will be present.
GPR is one step in our commitment to Truth and Healing. We will continue to keep the public updated as the process moves forward. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Maka Black Elk at makablackelk@redcloudschool.org or by phone at (605) 867-5491 ext 2212.

Get Involved

Are you an alumni or survivor of Holy Rosary or Our Lady of Lourdes boarding school? We'd like to hear from you:

Get in Touch Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Updates

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:

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 May 2nd 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.

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.