Red Cloud History

Red Cloud School History

Like an Arthur Amiotte Collage, the history of Red Cloud School is a complex one; gluing together two different cultures, religious customs, and lifestyles into one unified work of art is a messy and beautiful process often relying on faith. This balance between the Lakota and Catholic world is delicately unique, but intertwined together this uniqueness forms an even greater strength derived in the roots that both traditions have to offer one another.

Beginning at the End.

During the early 1800's, Chief Red Cloud of the Ogalala Lakota Tribe requests for Jesuit Missionaries to teach the Lakota youth upon realizing that the colonials could not be defeated in war and the Jesuits, known for their education, could provide the best chance for success of future generations.

Among the first Jesuits to befriend the Lakota was Reverend Pierre-Jean de Smet (1801-1873), S.J.

Chief Red Cloud, himself, would be baptized in 1884 taking "Peter" as his forename.

The roots are planted.

• 1885 - Bishops plan building schools for Holy Rosary Mission.
• 1887 - St. Katharine Drexel funds construction built by Lakota.
• 1888 - Fransican Sisters join the mission with Jesuits known to the Lakota as "Sina Sapa" (black robes)
• School enrollment is about 100 students in grades 1-8; all of which boarded for 10 months.

The Massacre at Wounded Knee

In 1890 unarmed Lakota, mostly women and children who had been practicing "The Ghost Dance", were massacred by the U.S. Army's 7th cavalry and left for days during a winter blizzard.

This event stirred retaliation among Lakota that threatened the Holy Rosary Mission. Red Cloud made sure to protect the school, students, and surrounding centers such as Sacred Heart Church which was established earlier in the year of 1890.

Black Elk

Resilience

Black Elk, a Lakota medicine man, fought in Wounded Knee saving as many of people that he could.

In 1904 Black Elk is baptized taking "Nicholas" as a forename and becoming a catechist and evangelist of Roman Catholic faith.

Black Elk also helps revive Lakota religious practices such as the Sun Dance.

Today Black Elk is awaiting possible canonization into sainthood.

1937

• Several parishes have been closing in the area due to disease and poverty
• Holy Rosary Mission opens a High School
• Our Lady of Lourdes opens as a 2nd location of the Mission

1942

• fire destroys a great deal of campus structures

1960's

The Red Cloud Volunteer Program is began to aid school and community growth

1968

Reverend Theodore Zuern S.J. establishes the 1st Red Cloud Art Show

1969

Holy Rosary Mission name changed to "Red Cloud Indian School"

Dormitory living is beginning to be phased out. Pastors living at Red Cloud see the need to serve at local parishes in Kyle, Ogalala, Porcupine, and Wanblee

1971

73

The American Indian Movement destroys Sacred Heart Church

75

Steven Red Elk and Reno Richards are named the 1st Native American Deacons in the US

The Sioux Spirituality Center is built to serve as a place of worship and retreat

1978

Growth amidst destruction

1982

The Heritage Center is founded to collect, preserve, and exhibit Native American art under director Brother C.M. Simon, S.J.

1994

Holy Rosary Church is completely destroyed by a fire

1998

Holy Rosary Church rebuilt in the same year a tornado destroys Our Lady of the Sioux Church

Healing Wounds through Education

2003

Robert Brave Heart, Sr., becomes the School's first lay, Lakota superintendent.

2008

Lakota Language Program established to revitalize the living use of the Lakota language and to encourage strong and healthy Lakota identities.

2016

72 Red Cloud students had received the Gates Millennium Scholarship -- the highest per capita of any school in the United States.

2019

Lakota Language Bill 126, represented by current RCHS students and staff, was passed by a senate committee recognizing the language of the Oceti Sakowin, of which Dakota, Lakota and Nakota are dialects, as the official indigenous language of South Dakota. The bill now heads to the Senate floor for a vote.

Today...

Red Cloud School educates over 600 students each year, K-12.

The curriculum is Jesuit college prep, including studies in both Catholic Education and Lakota Spirituality. Lakota cultural identity is supported through The Heritage Center, the Lakota Nation Invitational, and the growing curriculum in The Lakota Language which awaits recognition as an official state language if passed by the Senate Floor.

Red Cloud continues in it's mission serving thousands more through its surrounding Catholic parishes.