As America expanded westward during the 19th and 20th centuries, the federal government seized land from Indigenous peoples and allocated it to states for the establishment of public colleges, which are now known as land-grant universities. A recent Grist investigation uncovers how many of these institutions continue to generate profits from this appropriated land, mainly through extractive industries such as oil and gas production, mining, and logging.
Utilizing publicly accessible data, our probe identifies millions of acres taken from over a hundred Indigenous nations to sustain the financial resources of educational institutions. This reporting sheds light on how Indigenous lands and resources continue to finance land-grant universities both historically and presently, offering insights into the interconnectedness of colonialism, higher education, and climate change.
Here are five key findings from our investigation:
1. Fourteen land-grant universities generate revenue from 8.2 million surface and subsurface acres of Indigenous land.
State trust lands are a relatively unknown public asset in America, existing in 21 Western and Midwestern states and totaling more than 500 million surface and subsurface acres. Managed by state agencies, these lands primarily exist to subsidize education. Grist’s analysis of data from these state agencies identified trust lands associated with specific land-grant institutions, revealing their locations and how they are utilized to benefit these colleges. “A perpetual, multigenerational land trust for the support of the beneficiaries and future generations” is how the Arizona State Land Department describes them.
2. Those 8.2 million acres were taken from at least 123 Indigenous nations through more than 150 land cessions.
By cross-referencing state trust land data with the Schedule of Indian Land Cessions, Grist found documented information on treaties and other land seizures related to Indigenous territories surrendered for the creation of land-grant universities.
3. Indigenous nations were paid approximately $4.3 million in 2023 dollars for these lands. In many cases, however, nothing was paid at all.
Based on historical payments to Indigenous nations by the Indian Claims Commission and the Court of Claims, Grist identified the price per acre for each land cession and calculated the total amount paid to tribes for trust lands that currently benefit universities. Additionally, our reporting reveals instances where Indigenous nations were never compensated for the seizure of their territories, yet these lands continue to generate revenue for land-grant institutions. “Universities continue to benefit from colonization,” noted Sharon Stein, an assistant professor of higher education at the University of British Columbia. “It’s not just a historical fact; the actual income of the institution is subsidized by this ongoing dispossession.”
4. Nearly 25% of land-grant university trust lands are designated for either fossil fuel production or mining of minerals.
Analyzing data from state land agencies, we identified the revenue-generating activities for land-grant universities. While the focus was on the energy industry due to its significant climate impact, it was discovered that grazing is permitted on approximately one-third of the land, equating to around 2.8 million surface acres. Timber, agriculture, and infrastructure leases constitute a significant portion of the remaining acreage. Notably, despite timberlands representing a smaller footprint in our dataset, they still contribute substantial revenue. For instance, timber sales on trust lands in Washington provided Washington State University with at least $1.1 billion in revenue when adjusted for inflation from statehood in 1889 to 2022.
5. In 2022, state trust lands generated more than $2.2 billion in revenue. Between 2018 and 2022: approximately $6.6 billion.
Land trust activities supply significant income to land-grant universities, ultimately subsidizing higher education so that citizens do not have to bear the entire financial burden. “Every dollar earned by the land office,” remarked Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard of New Mexico when revenues surpassed the billion-dollar mark, “is a dollar taxpayers do not have to pay to support public institutions.”
Read our story, Misplaced Trust, or download the data.
