We are honored to announce the release of new research findings and our first-ever interactive digital map of Indian boarding schools in the United States.

In 2020, NABS released a list of 367 Indian boarding schools, which at the time was the largest and most extensive list available to the public. Since then, there have been various efforts by the Department of the Interior (DOI) and religious institutions to identify their involvement in the establishment and operation of Indian boarding schools nationwide. Our latest research identified a total of 523 Indian boarding schools in the United States.This is the largest known list to date, containing both federally operated boarding schools and church-run schools.

This latest research can be explored through a new interactive international map where people will be able to find information on all 523 known Indian boarding schools in the United States, alongside known Indian residential schools in Canada. This tool helps visualize the magnitude and deliberate effort to assimilate Indigenous peoples across North America.

NABS hopes this new research and tool will inspire researchers, educators, and policymakers to gain a better understanding of the impact and scope of Indian boarding schools. Ultimately, we hope it will help survivors, descendants, and Tribal Nations in charting a pathway forward. 

This project was made possible through a partnership with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Read more about this work in The New York Times and Washington Post.