Native American Heritage Month - A Classroom for Us

Christina Hairston, Librarian, Social Science, Philosophy & Religion Department,
Sherman Indian High School dancers
Shades of L.A. Photo Collection, 1959

In the late 19th century, a series of federal government policies were adopted with the intent of displacing Native communities from their land and culture. One such policy in the history of forced assimilation of Native populations occurred through mandatory education. Over 417 boarding schools were established near reservations throughout the country in an attempt to educate and assimilate future generations.

California hosted three of these boarding schools: Fort Bidwell Indian School, near the Oregon border. The St. Boniface Indian Industrial School in Banning. The Sherman Institute in Riverside was founded as the Perris Indian School in Perris. These boarding schools focused on "civilizing" Native populations through Christianity and American values coursework, practical skills like carpentry and housekeeping, and standard academic subjects.

The Right to Self-Determination

The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, signed by President Roosevelt, decreased federal government control in Native American affairs. Later, the mid-1950s and 1960s civil rights movement sparked a wave of resistance movements throughout the country among many minority groups. Self-determination policies emerged from the efforts of various Native American communities, activists, tribal leaders, Native national organizations, and U.S. government policymakers.

The "Self-Determination and Education Act" was passed by Congress in 1975. The act further loosened the control of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and several other federal agencies that minutely regulated the delivery of educational, health, and other services to Native people. Tribal communities in the 1970s began to contract for education programs, gaining greater participation and administration of education in reservation communities.

Today, some of these boarding schools are still in operation, including the Sherman Indian High School of Riverside. Under the control of Native populations, boarding schools on and off reservations have become welcome education centers. They focus on academic subjects while embracing Native culture through programming such as traditional basket weaving and hosting annual powwows.

You can learn more about this topic through our database "American Indian Experience." There are also many photographs to explore in our Tessa collection.

American Indian students in wood shop
American Indian students in wood shop painting carved figures, [Circa 1950]. Shades of L.A.: Native American Community
Hopi Indian girls in traditional dress and basketry
Portrait of two Hopi Indian girls with baskets in traditional dress and hairstyle used by young women of marriageable age, [Circa 1900]. Shades of L.A.: Native American Community
Marching in support of Indian rights
Photograph caption dated June 25, 1986, reads, "Demonstrators, led by the Los Angeles Big Mountain Support Group, march in front of the Federal Building downtown to protest the relocation of Navajo and Hopi Indians, [1986]. Photo credit: Paul Chinn, Herald Examiner Collection
Sherman Indian High School dancers
Sherman Indian High School dancers, [1959]. Shades of L.A.: Native American Community
Two Hopi Indian girls at Sherman Institute
Two Hopi Indian girls at Sherman Institute (known later as Sherman Indian High School), [Circa 1925]. Shades of L.A.: Native American Community

Recommended Reading


Book cover of We are still here! : Native American truths everyone should know
We are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know
Sorell, Traci

Book cover of Making a difference : my fight for native rights and social justice
Making a Difference: My Fight for Native Rights and Social Justice
Deer, Ada Elizabeth

Book cover of Education beyond the mesas : Hopi students at Sherman Institute, 1902-1929
Education Beyond the Mesas: Hopi Students at Sherman Institute, 1902-1929
Sakiestewa Gilbert, Matthew

Book cover of California through Native eyes : reclaiming history
California Through Native Eyes: Reclaiming History
Bauer, William J., Jr

trail of tears dvd cover
Trail of Tears: A Native American Documentary Collection

Book cover of Stealing Little Moon : the legacy of the American Indian boarding schools
Stealing Little Moon: The Legacy of the American Indian Boarding Schools
Jones, Dan C.

Book cover of Federal anti-Indian law : the legal entrapment of indigenous peoples
Federal Anti-Indian Law: The Legal Entrapment of Indigenous Peoples
D'Errico, Peter P.

Book cover of Shadows of Sherman Institute : a photographic history of the Indian school on Magnolia Avenue
Shadows of Sherman Institute: A Photographic History of the Indian School on Magnolia Avenue
Trafzer, Clifford E.

Book cover of The plot against native America : the fateful story of Native American boarding schools and the thef
The Plot Against Native America: The Fateful Story of Native American Boarding Schools
Vaughn, Bill

Book cover of American Indian education : a history
American Indian Education: A History
Reyhner, Jon Allan


 

 

 

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