Washington State University Earns $15M a Year on Stolen Indigenous Land

A A+ A++ A+++

Washington State University (WSU) is one of 52 higher-education institutions in the US that still benefit from land taken by the federal government from Indigenous nations, according to an investigation by Grist. WSU has received over $1 billion since the 1880s from profits generated by land grants, mainly through logging. The land-grant parcels are located throughout Washington state and were ceded by the Yakama Nation in 1855. WSU says it has been building a relationship with Indigenous nations to help serve their needs and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with 13 Indigenous nations for regular consultation on programs and projects that can benefit tribes. The university also offers publicly funded scholarships for Native students.