The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is currently seeking the return of the remains of two Native American boys, Samuel Gilbert and Edward Hensley, who died after being taken to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania over a century ago. The Army, however, has refused to comply with the tribe’s request, prompting a federal lawsuit based on a law designed to expedite repatriation of deceased Native Americans.
Samuel Gilbert passed away in 1895 after only 47 days at the boarding school, while Edward Hensley died in 1899 after four years at the institution. Despite their young ages, the exact circumstances of their deaths remain unknown, as tribal leaders were not notified at the time, and their relatives were left uninformed. The Winnebago Tribe filed a formal request with the Office of Army Cemeteries for the return of the remains, only to have it denied in December.
According to Greg Werkheiser of Cultural Heritage Partners, representing the tribe in the lawsuit, the Army’s refusal to repatriate the boys’ remains is seen as a continuation of historical mistreatment and control over Native American individuals, even after death. The bodies of Samuel and Edward, along with around 180 other children who died at the school, are currently buried in individual graves near the former Carlisle Indian Industrial School, which has become somewhat of a tourist attraction, as mentioned in the legal action.
While the spokesperson for the Office of Army Cemeteries emphasized that the cemetery is a dignified resting place with named headstones for all deceased individuals, the tribe’s lawsuit argues that the environment does not provide the proper respect and care deserved by the Native American children buried there. The Carlisle Indian Industrial School, established by Richard Henry Pratt, aimed to assimilate Native American children into mainstream society by eradicating their cultural identities and traditions through strict policies and regulations.
Since its establishment in 1879, the school forcibly enrolled thousands of Native American children from various tribal backgrounds, enforcing practices such as uniformed attire, hair cutting, and language prohibitions. The closure of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in 1918 marked the end of an era that had seen over 10,000 children from more than 140 tribes pass through its doors, including notable figures like Jim Thorpe.