Indigenous Schools

Like thousands of Aboriginal children in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere in the colonized world, Xatsu'll chief Bev Sellars spent part of her childhood as a student in a church-run residential school. These institutions endeavored to "civilize" Native children through Christian teachings; forced separation from family, language, and culture; and strict discipline. In this frank and poignant memoir of her years at St. Joseph's Mission, Sellars breaks her silence about the residential school's lasting effects on her and her family and eloquently articulates her own path to healing.

Finalist for the 2026 PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction A Time Must-Read Book of 2025, An NPR Books We Love Most pick, A Tribal College Best Native Studies Book of 2025, and a 2026 Great Reads from Great Places Pick From award-winning journalist Joseph Lee, a sweeping, personal...

For over 100 years, thousands of Aboriginal children passed through the Canadian residential school system. Begun in the 1870s, it was intended, in the words of government officials, to bring these children into the “circle of civilization,” the results, however, were far different. More often, the schools provided an inferior education in an atmosphere of neglect, disease, and often abuse. Using previously unreleased government documents, historian John S. Milloy provides a full picture of the history and reality of the residential school system.

Created in collaboration with Race2Dinner, here's the harrowing true story of America's history with boarding schools, and the forced assimilation of Indigenous kids and families. Education is a powerful tool, one that allows us to better understand the world around us. But these same tools can...

A biography of Jim Thorpe, the Native American sports icon and Olympic champion, that “goes beyond the myth and into the guts of Thorpe’s life, using extensive research, historical nuance, and bittersweet honesty” (Los Angeles Times), by the bestselling author of the classic biography When...

The New York Times bestselling author of the book club classics The Kitchen House and Glory Over Everything returns with a sweeping and “richly detailed story of a woman caught between two cultures” (Sandra Dallas, New York Times bestselling author) inspired by the real life of Crow...

Celebrate Indigenous thinkers and inventions with this beautifully designed, award-winning interactive nonfiction book—perfect for fans of Braiding Sweetgrass. Corn. Chocolate. Fishing hooks. Boats that float. Insulated double-walled construction. Recorded history and folklore. Life-saving...

A sweeping history of Native Americans’ fraught relationship with United States citizenship and their efforts to protect tribal sovereignty. Only Native Americans have held the political identity of being citizens of nations within a nation. After the American Revolution, they had to decide...

WINNER: Canada Reads 2022 WINNER: Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction WINNER: Amazon First Novel Award WINNER: Kobo Emerging Author Prize Finalist: Scotiabank Giller Prize Finalist: Atwood Gibson Writers Trust Prize Finalist: BC & Yukon Book Prize Shortlist: Indigenous Voices Awards...

Helen Knott, a highly accomplished Indigenous woman, seems to have it all. But in her memoir, she offers a different perspective. In My Own Moccasins is an unflinching account of addiction, intergenerational trauma, and the wounds brought on by sexual violence. It is also the story of sisterhood...

The last "Indian War" was fought against Native American children in the dormitories and classrooms of government boarding schools. Only by removing Indian children from their homes for extended periods of time, policymakers reasoned, could white "civilization" take root while childhood memories of "savagism" gradually faded to the point of extinction. In the words of one official: "Kill the Indian and save the man."

Big Family High School is a poignant and timely coming-of-age story about identity, loss, and the journey to self-discovery. Jason’s world is turned upside down when his family is torn apart and he and his sister are placed into foster care. Relocated to a new city with a new family, Jason is forced to leave behind everything he knew—his loved ones, his home, and his sense of belonging. But the hardest revelation is yet to come: Jason discovers that his entire life has been a lie—he is Indigenous. This shocking truth triggers a profound identity crisis that sends Jason spiraling out ...

A sweeping and deeply personal account of Native American boarding schools in the United States, and the legacy of abuse wrought by them in an attempt to destroy Native culture and life FINALIST FOR THE PEN OPEN BOOK AWARD A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, TIME, Smithsonian, The History Channel...

1952. Chicago socialite Elizabeth “Bettye” Grafton flees her abusive husband for a Nevada divorce. She holes up on a gritty-glamorous Reno dude ranch at the foot of the Sierra Nevada to endure the state’s six-week residency in a menagerie of wealthy ex-wives-in-waiting. By day, she finds solace riding the High Sierra—and by night, in a bottomless bottle of bourbon and a stack of books. But she’s back in the land she left behind as an Indian School runaway, and the past is not done with her. Nor are her powerful husband and his Las Vegas mob cronies. Just days before her divorce ...

The words of the individuals included in this book offer just a glimpse of the results of the effort of one group of people to educate people who were in many cases not seeking the knowledge being offered. These are tales of lessons learned, languages lost, traditions replaced, & charity corrupted.

A hilarious, action-packed journey for young readers (8-12) and Minecraft fans who love history with a side of chaos! Why kids (and parents!) love this book: Humorous Historical Fiction: Learn Indigenous cultures while laughing. Time Travel Adventure for Kids: Thrilling, imaginative plot full of surprises. Educational Entertainment: Introduces real First Americans' lifeways, regions & traditions. Strong, Comical Characters: Relatable Stan, Brave Mia, boastful Zaumy & clumsy Creepy bring the fun. Perfect for Reluctant Readers: Fast-paced, engaging, non-stop action, tons of funny pictures & ...

A groundbreaking and deeply personal exploration of Tribal enrollment, and what it means to be Native American in the United States “Candid, unflinching . . . Her thorough excavation of the painful history that gave rise to rigid enrollment policies is a courageous gift to our understanding of...

Learn the true stories of Indian boarding school students and their families in this important historical book for young readers. This in-depth history examines letters to and from boarding schools, all compiled and edited by Dr. Brenda J. Child. Firsthand accounts reveal how profoundly entire...

“A masterwork by one of our most essential storytellers.” —Jesse Wente, author of Unreconciled From award-winning and bestselling Anishinaabe author Tanya Talaga comes a riveting exploration of the dark history of residential schools, “Indian hospitals” and asylums For generations...

Winner of the U.P. Notable Books Award (2025) The impact of Indian boarding schools has been devastating for generations of Native Americans, and the aftershocks continue to affect their descendants today. Michigan was home to three: in Baraga, Harbor Springs and Mt. Pleasant. The last to close was Holy Childhood School of Jesus, in Harbor Springs, in 1983. Sharon Marie Brunner set out to intensively study the family history and boarding school experience of nine Native American survivors who attended either the Mt. Pleasant or Harbor Springs institutions. Each faced problems linked to the ...