Photograph of Navajo girls ‘enjoying’ life at the Sherman Institute.

Photograph of Navajo girls ‘enjoying’ life at the Sherman Institute.

California
Indigenous Peoples
Boarding School
Assimilation
Education

The black and white photograph displays a group of 6 Navajo girls making fried bread at the Sherman Indian institute circa. 1930. The institute aimed to transform enrolled students Native culture into American civilians. Other photographs within this collection also represent this particular boarding school doing this through education. For example, the institute would have numerous classes and curricular activates such as learning to play instruments, teaching western agricultural and growing practices, and domestic sciences. This photo was taken by a professional photographer hired by school officials to use as propaganda. This was often done in order to depict the joys of life which was experienced by young Native Americans living at the institute. This is portrayed by the text ‘We Enjoy Life at Sherman’ included in the photograph. These photos were also used to encourage more federal funding during the twentieth century.

The Sherman Indian Institute, Riverside, California

Mother Jones, ‘where native kids were sent to be Americanized’

http://www.motherjones.com/media/2017/10/native-american-boarding-schools-shadows-of-sherman-institute/

circa 1930 - date of publication unknown

Ellen Daly

Sherman Indian Museum, Sherman Indian High School Museum, Riverside, California

English

Visual - photograph (published)

20th century California