Signs of power and dominance: Mathematics curricula in Indian boarding schools, 1879–1932

This project examines an unexplored area of scholarship in the United States: mathematics edu­cation in Indian boarding schools, 1879–1932. The aims of this research include 1) contributing to historical analysis of the role of mathematics education in the U.S. colonial curricula and 2) increasing our understanding of the origins of contemporary mathematics education policy and practices. Theoretically, we argue that the systemic inequality and oppressive practices in mathematics education today are traced to U.S. assimilationist policies and thus rooted in the legacies of colonization and white supremacy. Using archival methods, we examine the history of mathematics instruction for Native youth in federal boarding schools. Finally, we discuss implications for contemporary mathematics education.