Residential Schools - the Hidden Stories

About This Project

Summary

A disturbing chapter in Canadian history involved Indigenous Residential Schools, which scooped 150,000 children from their homes and subjected them to cultural genocide. Our project involved securing and publishing a database of documents related to these schools, containing information the public had never seen before. They confirmed physical and sexual abuse and horrific conditions. We made all records searchable and also created an ongoing series of stories to document the new information.

Goals & Objectives

Canada established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the legacy of residential schools, and we believe our project makes a significant contribution to this process. It sheds new light on historical realities and helps researchers, journalists, survivors and the public learn the truth.

Results & Impact

Our stories resonated with the public and school survivors. Journalists from other outlets told us that they use our database. An Indigenous legal scholar said the records “can help with the work that communities are doing to find the missing Indigenous children who died in the schools.”