For 150 years, the Federal government operated boarding schools that aimed to assimilate Native American children, causing immense harm to individuals and communities. However, in June 2021, Secretary Deb Haaland established the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative (BSI), marking the first time the government acknowledged and documented these atrocities. Margaret Williams, Senior Advisor to the Director of the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA), played a crucial role in leading the research component of this effort.

Under Williams' guidance, a team of volunteers researched and digitized historical records, creating the first comprehensive list of all known Federal Indian Boarding Schools. They provided vital information about each school, including their history, locations, and tribal affiliations of students. The team also began identifying burial sites and developing state-specific maps. This groundbreaking work had never been accomplished or acknowledged by the Federal government before.

The BSI has sparked important conversations within Indian Country and between Tribal communities and the government. It has brought to light a hidden history, allowing for healing and addressing decades of trauma. The compiled data enables Tribes to consider repatriating the remains of students from unmarked graves, performing proper ceremonies, and caring for their children in their own way—a choice denied to them in the past. This awareness has garnered international attention, highlighting the need for further research and investment in culture, language recovery, and mental health services in Indian Country. Williams and her team have played a pivotal role in initiating these vital conversations and opportunities for healing.