Native American Catholic Boarding Schools and Cemeteries Research Study
Why we commissioned the study
As the Catholic Church in North America recognizes its failures toward Indigenous People and strives to repair its broken relationships, the five Catholic bishops of Washington state seek a more complete understanding of the Catholic Church in Washington state’s relationship with local Tribes related to boarding schools.
The Bishops commissioned a study, through the Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC), of all archival records available in the Archdiocese of Seattle, Diocese of Yakima and Diocese of Spokane as well as in the archives of religious orders who taught at Catholic-run Native American boarding schools across the state - specifically six boarding schools and related cemeteries.
Out of respect for Tribal sovereignty, the study will not be released publicly. Instead, the bishops gave the study to the impacted Tribes, allowing each Tribal Council Chair to determine if, when and with whom to share this information.
How the study was conducted
The goal was to review Church records and provide information on the history of the six Native American boarding schools under the Catholic Church’s direction in Washington State.
Primary research, conducted by Statistical Research Inc. (SRI), focused on materials in the diocesan archives and additional records in the archives of Marquette University, as well as in the archives of several religious orders whose members served at Native American boarding schools in Washington state.
As part of the research process, SRI worked with the archival staff at:
the Archdiocese of Seattle
the Diocese of Spokane
the Diocese of Yakima
St. Joseph’s Parish of Yakima
the Sisters of Providence
the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
Marquette University
the Jesuit Archives and Research Center (JARC) in St. Louis, Missouri.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The WSCC recruited researchers through professional and university networks, interviewing nine candidates. The selected senior historian from Statistical Research Inc. possessed a strong academic background (Ph.D. studies from the University of Washington, M.A. from UC Santa Barbara, B.A. from Princeton University), extensive experience in Native American historical research, and the necessary French language skills to understand early Church records. As a Washington state resident with no personal connection to the Catholic Church or Native American communities, the researcher offered an impartial perspective for the study.
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The senior researcher spent six months reviewing materials from entities mentioned previously in the “How the study was conducted” section. Each of the dioceses hosts its own records, as do the religious orders.
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The senior researcher reviewed over 20,000 records from the six schools and related cemeteries in the state contained in the archives of the entities mentioned previously.
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The senior researcher did not translate the records from French into English.
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Boarding schools serving Native Americans were unique. The focus of this report was on the experience of Native American children in Catholic-run boarding schools. While non-Native American students attended some of the boarding schools, the nature and purpose of the boarding schools were specifically geared toward assimilation of Native American children. The tragic and long-term consequences of the schools warrant specific and continued study as the Catholic Church seeks to understand and repair the harms caused within these schools.
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The five bishops of Washington state commissioned this research report independent of United States or Washington state government efforts.
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In this report, the senior researcher reviewed archival records for cemeteries associated with St. George’s School and the Tulalip Reservation. The archives did not reveal any evidence of mass graves.
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The WSCC recognizes the sacredness of Tribal history. The stories in the research belong to the families whose ancestors attended Catholic-run boarding schools in Washington state. Therefore, in agreement with the Tribes, the WSCC will not publicly release the study. This is in recognition of the right of the Tribal Council Chairs to determine if, when, and with whom this information is shared.
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Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC)
Jean Hill, Executive Director
jean.hill@wacatholics.org | 206-274-7680
Tracey Yackley, Operations Manager
tracey.yackley@wacatholics.org | 206-274-7683
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