Case #2: Changing Education

In the early 1900's, the U.S. government began creating Indian Schools. These schools were designed for assimilation, where Native Americans would learn how to act more "American." For example, students lost their native names, were forbidden to speak their native language, had to eat American food, dressed according to middle-class white standards and used "proper" manners.

In the 1960's, Native American activists began to challenge these ideas. They fought to close and reform the Indian Schools. They began to protest the "white history" that failed to mention the genocide of Native Americans. At universities, they began to demand courses in Native American studies. A group of Native American protesters even stormed the battle site of Wounded Knee to recover their own history. They began to write books like Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee that told the history of what happened to their people.

1. How had America used marginalizing, demonizing or assimilation to control Native American education?
2. What methods did Native Americans use to fight back?
3. Do you feel that schools have done an adequate job with Native American history?