The Dawes Act and Residential Boarding Schools - Assimilation or Annihilation

Explore the impact of the Dawes Act and residential boarding schools on Native American communities in this 15-minute TEDx talk by Dr. Lisa Uhlir. Discover how federal policy shifted from annihilation to assimilation at the end of the 19th century, aiming to "kill the Indian and save the man." Learn about the Dawes Act's attempt to break down tribal life and reshape Native Americans into Western-style individual property-owning farmers. Gain insights from Dr. Uhlir's diverse academic background and personal research into her Ojibwa history, focusing on Native American Boarding Schools and Black Indian history. Understand the complex historical context and lasting effects of these policies on Indigenous peoples in the United States.