Museums, universities and other American institutions that receive federal funds were required by a 1990 law to “expeditiously” return human remains and cultural items taken from Native American tribes and burial sites. Decades later, these institutions still hold more than 100,000 human remains and several hundred thousand items.
ProPublica, a nonprofit news organization, is investigating why some institutions have made little progress on repatriation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
We understand this is a sensitive topic, and we are committed to respectfully reporting about it. Our goal is to hold institutions accountable. We hope to connect with tribal citizens, historic preservation officers, past and present museum and university employees and others to learn about their experiences with this issue.
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