PSR’s Nuclear Abolition Academic Intern, Michaela Soucy, as part of her summer 2024 internship created a timeline highlighting the impact of nuclear testing and mining on Native American communities across the United States. Silent Contamination is an interactive timeline that explores Native American involvement in the nuclear industry and the consequences that have followed. Nuclear weapons testing and manufacturing pose many risks, from the potential use of these weapons to the contamination of land and water and long-term health issues. This timeline highlights the historical and ongoing impact of these risks on Native American communities. It delves into struggles for justice and recognition, as well as the cultural and environmental devastation caused by the U.S. nuclear industry. Through personal stories, historical data, and health reports, Silent Contamination aims to shed light on the profound and lasting effects of the nuclear industry on Native American lands and peoples.

Events highlighted in the timeline include:

• Uranium Mining on Navajo Nation
• Downwinders of the Trinity Test
• Nuclear Waste Spills
• The Ongoing Struggle Radiation Exposure Victims Face

Reading this timeline will provide an understanding of the historical injustices and ongoing challenges faced by Native communities due to nuclear testing and mining. It highlights key events, advocacy efforts, and the need for continued action to address these injustices.

View the Timeline