From “University of Nevada, 1874-2024: 150 Years of Inspiring Excellence” by John Trent, published by the University of Nevada Press (2024). Lightly edited for Nevada Silver & Blue style.
The University of Nevada, Reno has a complex history from the Native American perspective. Native Americans have a long and rich history in the Great Basin region, what is now known as Nevada, with diverse Indigenous communities residing in the area for thousands of years before European colonization. This includes the Northern Paiute, Southern Paiute, Western Shoshone, and Washoe people.
When European settlers arrived in Nevada in the mid-nineteenth century, they brought with them ideas of formal education and established schools. This was a time when United States federal policy sought to assimilate Native American children into Euro-American culture, eradicating their languages, traditions and cultural practices.
In the early twentieth century, efforts were made to educate Native American students, primarily with the goal of assimilation. Many Native American children were forcefully taken to boarding schools, where their Native languages and cultures were actively discouraged. This period represents a dark chapter in Native American history and is often referred to as the era of forced assimilation.
The University of Nevada, Reno was founded as the State University of Nevada in 1874. Initially, it did not have a strong relationship with the Native American communities in the region. The prevailing attitude at the time was one of assimilation, and Native American cultures and perspectives were largely disregarded or suppressed.
In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act, which distributed public domain lands to raise funds for colleges across the nation. The Morrill Act worked by turning land taken from tribal nations into seed money for higher education. It was all part of Lincoln’s creed: “The right to rise.” And though generations of land-grant graduates have exercised that right, few have thought to ask who actually paid for the opportunity and how it was done. It came through the transfer or violent seizure of Indigenous land. Meanwhile, Indigenous people remain largely absent from student populations, faculty and curriculum. According to landgrabu.org, in 2019-2020, there were less than 0.5 percent aggregate enrollment of Alaskan/Native American students at 52 land-grant universities.
Land-grant universities were built not just on Indigenous land, but with Indigenous land. It is a common misconception that the Morrill Act grants were used only for campuses. In fact, the grants were as big or bigger than major cities, and they were often located hundreds or even thousands of miles away from their beneficiaries. In Nevada, 81,224 acres of land were taken from Native communities and sold for the establishment of the University of Nevada.
In 1970, the University created a position, funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, to support the Indian students. Twenty fee waivers were available for Native American students. During this time, 83 Native students were enrolled at the University. The students organized the American Indian Organization. While there was support and effort to improve the belonging, American Indian enrollment at the University began to drop steadily after 1971. This may have been, in part, by the diversion of some students to the community college system.
In recent decades, the University of Nevada, Reno has taken steps to address the historical injustices and is working toward inclusivity and collaboration with Native American communities. Efforts have been made to establish meaningful partnerships and build relationships with tribes in the region. The University has developed programs and initiatives to promote Native American cultures, languages, and traditions, as well as support Native American students in their educational pursuits.
One notable initiative is the Native American Alumni Chapter, which serves as a network for Native American graduates and supports Native American students on campus. The University has established an Indigenous studies minor, offers Paiute language courses, and in 2024 will implement a tribal government course and add a Native American faculty member.
Furthermore, ongoing efforts have established respectful and collaborative relationships with 28 Native American reservations, colonies, and communities throughout the state. In 2022, the University created the position of director of Indigenous relations and a Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation program manager, establishing the Department of Indigenous Relations. Also, the Nevada Legislature expanded the Native American Fee Waiver in 2023 to include members and descendants of federally recognized tribes, creating an opportunity for many Native American Nevada residents to access higher education.
It is important to recognize that the journey toward reconciliation and meaningful engagement with Native American communities is ongoing. Universities such as ours continue to work toward addressing the historical injustices and fostering a greater understanding and application of Native American perspectives and contributions.
We acknowledge that the University of Nevada, Reno is situated on the traditional homelands of the Numu (Northern Paiute), Wašiw (Washoe), Newe (Western Shoshone), and Nuwu (Southern Paiute) peoples. These lands continue to be a gathering place for Indigenous Peoples and we recognize their deep connections to these places. We extend our appreciation for the opportunity to live and learn on their territory.
“I’m hopeful students will see those tribal nations on the wall and begin to do their own research or see the Paiute, Washoe and Western Shoshone people on the wall and begin to think about how we’re still impacted by colonialism.”
— Autumn Harry
Autumn Harry ’17 (environmental science), ’24 M.S. (geography) recently painted a four-panel mural between the Pennington Student Achievement Center and the Ansari Business Building. The mural illustrates the Truckee River Watershed and centers the Paiute, Washoe, and Western Shoshone People of the Great Basin. Autumn is a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. She is Numu (Northern Paiute) on her paternal side and Diné (Navajo) on her maternal side.
