Before Carlisle Indian School Training, 1886

Arrival at an Indian school could be traumatic. Students’ traditional clothes were burned, and boys were forced to cut their hair. The children were given English names and forbidden to speak their native languages or practice non-Christian religions.

Before Carlisle Indian School Training 1886

Chiracahua Apache children arrive at the Carlisle Indian School, which was considered the model for many Native American boarding schools around the country.

National Archives, Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer