Advocacy

The Catholic bishops of Washington state tasked the Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC) with conducting a study of Native American Catholic Boarding Schools and Cemeteries across the state through exploration of the archives of the Archdiocese of Seattle, the Diocese of Yakima and the Diocese of Spokane, as well as the archives of the other religious orders who taught at these schools. 

In January 2022, the Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC) posted its Researcher (Independent Contractor) job description for this study to the National Council on Public History’s website. The WSCC also utilized the National Archives database (NARA – National Archives and Records Administration) to contact independent researchers specializing in Native American-related research, and resources such as the University of Washington (UW) - American Indian Studies Faculty; UW - Dept of History; and the UW - Information School to contact individuals and departments, to invite them to apply and/or to share the job description with student and faculty researchers who would be qualified and interested. 

The WSCC staff, along with the director of Archives & Records Management for the Archdiocese of Seattle, interviewed nine applicants via Zoom. Selection criteria included a Master’s or Ph.D. in 19th or 20th century history, religious studies, Native American studies, or a related discipline, as well as experience working with archival materials, and the ability to read cursive; reading knowledge of Latin preferred or the ability to obtain assistance with translation from Latin to English; reading knowledge of French preferred or the ability to obtain assistance with translation from French to English; and some familiarity with the Catholic church and its terminology.

A senior historian for Statistical Research, Inc. (SRI) was selected to conduct the research and to write this study report on behalf of the Washington State Catholic Conference. The researcher previously had served as Tribal liaison for consultation on private, state and federal projects. In addition, the researcher had worked with a number of Tribes and agencies on documentation of Native American history and treaty relationships as well as on research pertaining to legal issues. 

The researcher’s education included Ph.D. studies in History at the University of Washington, Seattle; an M.A. in American History and Native American Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a B.A. cum laude in Anthropology and Public and International Affairs from Princeton University. 

The selected researcher had extensive experience in archival research, writing and contextual development and previous experience conducting research in the Archdiocese of Seattle archives. In addition, the researcher possessed the necessary French skills to read the accounts written in the 19th century by bishops and other clergy and religious, many of whom arrived from French-speaking Canada and parts of Europe. The researcher lived and worked in WA state and was neither Catholic nor of Native American heritage, which lended impartiality to the work.

How long was the research period?
The senior researcher spent six months reviewing materials from the Archdiocese of Seattle, Diocese of Yakima, Diocese of Spokane along with documents provided by the Jesuit Archives and Research Center (JARC), and the archives of the Sisters of Providence, Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia and Marquette University.

How many records were reviewed?
The senior researcher reviewed over 20,000 records of the six schools and three related cemeteries in the state, contained in archives of the entities mentioned above.

Were all records translated into English or left in French?
The senior researcher did not translate the records from French into English.

Why were the records pertaining to only Native American Catholic boarding schools reviewed? What about other schools?
Boarding schools serving Native Americans were unique. From colonial times in America until well past the Revolutionary War period, various denominations attempted to Christianize the indigenous populations through the establishment of educational programs. After this period, the U.S. government began to formally support educational efforts of Native American children, placing an additional emphasis on vocational or trade school training. Following the Civil War, President Grant developed what became known as the Peace Policy. Part of this new direction in federal Indian policy included a more central role for government in education, including the establishment of federally funded schools for Native children, both on and off the reservations. While non-Native American students attended some of the boarding schools, the nature and purpose of the boarding schools was specifically geared toward assimilation of Native American children. The tragic and long-term consequences of the schools warrants specific and continued study as the Catholic Church seeks to understand and repair the harms caused by our role within these schools.

What about other cemeteries in the state that weren’t tied to boarding schools? Did you look at those records?
In this report, the senior researcher reviewed archival records for cemeteries associated with St. George’s School and the Tulalip Reservation.

Where are the records for the religious orders?
Each of the religious orders cited above maintains its own archives.

Was the study related to federal government efforts to address the history of boarding schools nationwide?
The five bishops of Washington state commissioned this research report independent of United States or Washington state government efforts.

Why aren’t you publishing the full report?
As we continue the journey to the truth, the WSCC recognizes the sacredness of Tribal history and how the stories in the research belong to the families whose ancestors attended Catholic-run boarding schools in WA state. Therefore, the WSCC will not publicly release the study in recognition of the right of the Tribal Council Chairs of these Tribes to determine if, when, and with whom this information is shared.

Were there mass graves?
The archives did not reveal any evidence of mass graves.