American Indian Education: A History

In this comprehensive history of American Indian education in the United States from colonial times to the present, historians and educators Jon Reyhner and Jeanne Eder explore the broad spectrum of Native experiences in missionary, government, and tribal boarding and day schools. This up-to-date survey is the first one-volume source for those interested in educational reform policies and missionary and government efforts to Christianize and "civilize" American Indian children. Drawing on firsthand accounts of Indian schools from teachers and students, this volume covers:

• The passage of the Civilization Act of 1819, which allowed government funding for missionary-run schools
• The formation of the Office of Indian Affairs and the forced removal of many tribes to Indian Territory
• The establishment of reservations and the enactment of policies providing land allotments for some American Indians
• The expansion of the vocation-oriented boarding school system, which removed students from their families and cultures
• The implementation of child-centered Progressive education and Franklin D. Roosevelt's Indian "New Deal"
• The growth of community-controlled schools in the era of Indian self-determination
• The founding of tribal colleges and American Indian Studies programs as well as the resurgence of instruction in traditional languages as part of a cultural revitalization movement

American Indian Education considers and analyzes shifting educational policies and philosophies, paying special attention to the passage of the Native American Languages Act and current efforts to revitalize Native American cultures.