Unseen Tears: The Impact of Native American Residential Boarding Schools in WNY

Documentary and Panel Presentation

"I do not believe that Indians ... people who for the most part speak no English, live in squalor and degradation, make little progress from year to year, who are a perpetual source of expense to the government and a constant menace to thou-sands of their white neighbors, a hindrance to civilization and a clog on our progress have any right to forcibly keep their children out of school to grow up like themselves, a race of barbarians and semi-savages."

-T.J. Morgan, Commissioner of Indian Affairs 1889-1893

"Transfer the savage-born infant to the surroundings of civilization, and he will grow to possess a civilized language and habit."

-Richard Henry Pratt, Founder and Superintendent of The Carlisle Indian School

Directed, shot, edited by: Ron Douglas

Producers: Ruchatneet Printup & Michael Martin, Native American Community
Services of Erie and Niagara Counties, Inc.

Music by: Jordan Smith

Unseen Tears is a production of CHANNELS – STORIES FROM THE NIAGARA FRONTIER

Which is a program of Squeaky Wheel/Buffalo Media Resources www.squeaky.org