Throughout the early-to-mid 20th century, Washington state was home to 15 Native American boarding schools. The schools have been the source of cultural erasure and generational trauma for Native people for over a century.

But the specifics of what went on in those schools has been largely ignored or forgotten by many, including government officials.

KUOW Investigative Team members Ashley Hiruko and Isolde Raftery have been collecting information and stories about what went on at these schools, and they’ve spoken with survivors and their families.

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Contact KUOW's Investigative Team: Boardingschools@KUOW.org