Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Experiences

Away from Home examines the history and impact of American Indian boarding schools through photographs, documents, and firsthand accounts. The book was published in collaboration with the Heard Museum and features contributions from multiple Native American scholars and writers. The narrative covers the period from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s, documenting the U.S. government's program to assimilate Native American children through mandatory education. Essays and personal stories reveal the daily life, rules, and experiences of students who attended these institutions. Historical photographs and archival materials show the physical transformation of students upon arrival, the military-style discipline, and the industrial training that defined these schools. The book presents both institutional records and private letters between children and their families. The work stands as a testament to cultural resilience while exploring themes of identity, power, and survival in American history. Through its compilation of voices and images, it raises questions about education, assimilation, and the preservation of indigenous cultures.

Readers describe this as an honest account of Indian boarding schools that balances historical documents with personal stories. The combination of photographs, artwork, and firsthand narratives provides multiple perspectives on the boarding school experience. Readers appreciated: - Large collection of historical photographs - Mix of institutional records and personal accounts - Clear organization by time period - Inclusion of both positive and negative student experiences Common criticisms: - Some readers wanted more depth on specific schools - Text can feel academic/formal in places - Limited coverage of Canadian boarding schools Ratings: Goodreads: 4.29/5 (17 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (13 ratings) "The photos tell as much of the story as the text," noted one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads reviewer highlighted how the book "gives voice to those who experienced these schools firsthand rather than just describing the system from the outside."

Boarding School Seasons by K. Tsianina Lomawaima Documents first-hand accounts of Native American students at Chilocco Indian School through letters, oral histories, and archival materials.

They Called It Prairie Light by K. Tsianina Lomawaima Presents personal narratives from students who attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in Oklahoma between 1920 and 1940.

Education for Extinction by David Wallace Adams Chronicles the history of federal Indian education policy and its implementation in American Indian boarding schools from 1875 to 1928.

Kill the Indian, Save the Man by Ward Churchill Examines the systematic removal of Native American children from their communities and the methods used to erase their cultural identities in government boarding schools.

The Middle Five by Francis La Flesche Provides a first-person account of life at a Presbyterian Mission school in Nebraska through the eyes of an Omaha Indian boy in the 1860s.

🏫 The book features over 100 rare archival photographs documenting life in American Indian boarding schools, many of which have never been published before. 📝 Students at these boarding schools were often forced to write letters home telling their parents how happy they were, even when this wasn't true, to maintain the schools' reputation. 👗 Upon arrival, Native American children had their traditional clothing burned and their hair cut short - practices specifically designed to strip them of their cultural identity. 🗣️ Many boarding schools punished children for speaking their native languages, sometimes by washing their mouths out with soap or making them kneel on hard surfaces for extended periods. 🎨 Despite the harsh conditions, some students found ways to preserve their culture through art, creating traditional designs in their craftwork classes and secretly teaching younger students their native languages and customs.