A Georgetown University study has identified over 1,000 graves of children who perished while in state care across 40 different U.S. locations. The Forgotten Children Initiative report highlights a legacy of unmarked burials and systemic neglect spanning from the early 19th century to the mid-20th century.
1,000 Graves Across 29 States
The Forgotten Children Initiative has documented at least 40 burial sites across 29 states containing the remains of children who died in state custody. According to the report, these children were often buried by government officials in unkept or unmarked plots, suggesting that the mortality rate in early American youth prisons was far more extensive than previously understood.
The study, released Thursday by author and youth legal advocate Marc Schindler, describes the 1,000-grave figure as a "conservative" estimate. This total specifically excludes children who were returned to their families for burial, meaning the actual number of deaths in state custody is likely significantly higher.
From Florida's Dozier School to New York's House of Refuge
The systemic erasure of these children is evidenced by sites like the Dozier School for Boys in Florida, the New York House of Refuge for Women, and the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children in Maryland. These facilities were often built on the premise of "reform" and "discipline," yet they frequently incarcerated children who had committed no serious crimes, labeling them instead as "incorrigible."
This pattern of incarceration reflects a broader historical trend where the state exercised absolute control over marginalized youth. As the report says, early research indicates that the children sent to these facilities were disproportionately Black and poor, mirroring long-standing systemic inequalities in the American legal and social welfare systems.
Maryland's $1 Million Commission for the House of Reformation
The House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children in Maryland serves as a stark example of state negligence, with a Washington Post investigation finding that at least 230 children died there between 1870 and 1939. Many of these children are interred in an abandoned cemetery marked only by cinder blocks. Despite archival records showing that state officials knew of the site for decades, no efforts were made to memorialize the deceased until recently.
In response to pressure from the state's legislative Black Caucus, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed a law allocating $1 million to establish a commission to investigate these deaths and restore the cemetery. This commission includes family members of the victims, such as Phyllis Hammond, Dorothy Givens, and Linda F. Gorham, who are working to secure the dignity and recognition denied to their relatives upon their deaths.
The Skepticism Surrounding Tuberculosis and Influenza Claims
While official records often attribute the deaths of these children to diseases such as influenza or tuberculosis, Marc Schindler has expressed skepticism regarding these assertions. The Forgotten Children Initiative is currently investigating whether these medical explanations mask more violent or negligent causes of death, as the lack of transparent record-keeping at the time makes verification difficult.
Further questions remain regarding the exact number of children buried across the 40 identified sites and the specific identities of those in unmarked graves. Because many facilities were segregated or operated with minimal oversight, the full scale of the tragedy remains partially obscured by the very state institutions that were tasked with the children's care.
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