Army to Disinter Native American Students from Carlisle Cemetery

You might care about this because the U.S. Army is planning to move the remains of twelve Native American students from the Carlisle Barracks Post Cemetery in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. These students died between 1879 and 1918 while attending the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Their families and Native American Tribes asked for this. The Army's Office of Army Cemeteries will handle the disinterment and pay for transporting the remains to private cemeteries chosen by the families and tribes. The disinterment is set to begin on September 1, 2026. This action follows Army regulations and parts of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. If other living relatives disagree with the disinterment for any of these individuals, they must submit a written objection to MAJ Oluwaseun Adedeji by July 1, 2026. Such objections could delay the process for that specific person. The names of the students include Mabel Stock, Edward Angalook, Lucy Spaulding, Tummassak, Peter Howe, Richard Morgan, Christine Redstone, Frances Bones, Fannie Gibson, Della Atkins, Susie Davis, and Margaret Davis, representing various tribes and Alaska Native communities. This action is particularly interesting because it represents a continued effort to address historical injustices related to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. This school was part of a broader government policy to assimilate Native American children, often by separating them from their families and cultures. The students buried at Carlisle often died far from home and their communities. Returning these remains to their ancestral lands or family cemeteries honors the wishes of their living descendants and tribes. It also shows a commitment by the Department of Defense to right past wrongs and respect Native American cultural and spiritual traditions regarding the deceased. This step underscores the importance of repatriation laws and policies in reconciling with indigenous communities. It highlights how federal agencies are responding to requests for historical healing and recognition. Several groups would be most interested in this legal document. Native American tribes, especially those whose ancestors are among the twelve students, will find this notice extremely relevant. This includes the Fort Peck Tribes, the Comanche Nation, the Absentee Shawnee Tribe, the Shoshone Paiute Tribes, and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, along with the Keewenaw Bay Indian Community and various Alaska Native communities. Descendants of the individuals named in the notice are a primary audience. Historians and researchers who study the Carlisle Indian Industrial School or the broader history of Native American boarding schools will find this update important. Legal scholars and practitioners working on Native American rights, repatriation, and cultural heritage laws will also pay close attention. Additionally, anyone interested in federal policy on Native American issues, historical reconciliation, or cemetery management and regulations will find this document significant.