In a bid to honor the history and legacy of one of the largest federal Native American boarding schools in the United States, the Sheldon Museum of Art is hosting a significant event this Friday. This event aims to shed light on the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School’s history, which was operational from 1884 until 1934 and once spanned 640 acres with a student body of 599 at its peak in 1932.
The school, which accommodated children aged 4 to 22 from over 40 tribes, was part of a broader system where children were removed from their families and stripped of their cultural identities. This Friday’s event, named Genoa Remembrance Day, will be held at the Lincoln museum starting at 5:30 p.m.
Judi gaiashkibos, Director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, will present remarks alongside a student-led panel from the University of Nebraska Inter-Tribal Exchange. These discussions will delve into the historical impact of the Genoa school and invite community conversations.
The event holds personal significance for Randall Nunez, a senior at UNL, who will act as the emcee. His grandfather was one of the children taken to the Genoa school at just seven years old. Nunez encourages attendance, stating, “Come learn, especially if you don’t know anything about Genoa itself. We’re open arms. We’d love to see everybody’s faces there.”
Throughout its 50-year history, the Genoa boarding school saw hundreds of children pass through its doors, with at least 86 known to have died during their time there. While nine students were buried on the school grounds, the remains of 37 others were returned to their tribes, leaving the final resting places of 40 students unknown.
Recent years have seen increased scrutiny by historians and government entities into the era of boarding schools in the United States. In 2022, Nebraska established February 20 as an annual remembrance day for the Genoa school through a legislative resolution.
Complementing Friday’s event, the Sheldon Museum, Love Library, and Omaha’s Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge will be illuminated in orange to commemorate the children affected by the federal boarding school.
The Genoa school is one of many Native American boarding institutions that operated in the U.S. during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. An investigation initiated in 2021 by the Interior Department, following the discovery of unmarked graves at similar institutions in Canada, highlighted the forced assimilation practices and the tragic consequences, with 18,000 children taken from their tribes and nearly 1,000 documented deaths.
Nunez expresses the importance of spreading awareness, noting that while his college peers may recognize the town of Genoa, many are unaware of the significant institution that once operated there. “I feel like it’s important getting the story out there that the school is still there, and just making sure that it’s told truthfully,” Nunez emphasized.
