# Understanding the National Day of Remembrance for Native American Boarding School Children

This bill asks Congress to officially recognize September 30th as a national day of remembrance for Native American children who died while attending U.S. Indian boarding schools. It's essentially a symbolic gesture that acknowledges a painful chapter in American history and honors the survivors and their communities.

From the 1800s through much of the 1900s, the U.S. government forced thousands of Native American children to attend boarding schools, often far from their families and tribes. These schools were designed to assimilate Native children into white American culture by stripping away their languages, traditions, and identities. Many children suffered abuse, neglect, and disease, and some died while in these institutions. This bill recognizes that tragedy and calls for the nation to remember those who were lost.

The practical impact of this bill is limited but meaningful. If passed, it would make September 30th an official day when Americans are encouraged to reflect on this history, honor the children who died, and support the survivors who are still living today along with their families and communities. It doesn't create new programs or funding, but rather establishes a designated day for remembrance and recognition—similar to how we observe other national days of remembrance. For Native American communities, it represents an official acknowledgment from the federal government of the harm caused by these boarding schools and validates the experiences of survivors who have long sought recognition of what happened to them.

Expressing the sense of Congress that September 30th be observed as the designation of a national day of remembrance for the Native American children who died while attending a United States Indian boarding school and recognize, honor, and support the survivors of Indian boarding schools, their families, and communities.

Young, Don

 <p>This concurrent resolution supports the designation of a national day of remembrance for the Native American children who died while attending an Indian boarding school in the United States.</p>