Native Americans from the Dakotas were brought to Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1880s in ill-fated assimilation effort

For many, steam rising from turkeys fresh out the oven last week evoked images of the Pilgrims. Schoolchildren learn that the origin of American democracy is the Mayflower Compact by which the Pilgrims pledged themselves to self-governance.

Less is said in classrooms and by television’s talking heads about the experience of Native Americans in the years since they were at that first Thanksgiving.

For American Indians, an event of the sort reported in an 1883 Tribune article headlined “Little Injuns” conjures up painful memories:

“The Feehanville Training-School received a large and unique addition to its inmates in the last few days in the form of forty Sioux Indian boys from the Dakota Indian reservation. ”

“The notables among them,” the Tribune noted, “were three hereditary chieftains — Wa Myhe,