On Monday, September 30, the St. Francis Area Schools American Indian Education Program (AIE) hosted its first Orange Shirt Day Remembrance Walk.
September 30 is the National Day of Remembrance for U.S. Indian Boarding Schools (also known as orange shirt day). Native American boarding schools were tools used to remove Native children from their homes as a means of forced assimilation. These boarding schools caused a lot of trauma that continues to impact Native communities today.
At this event, AIE staff and community members were able to discuss the history of Native American boarding schools, share their own experiences and connections to Native boarding schools, and reflect on the complexities of boarding school experiences. This event was open to all and everyone was encouraged to wear an orange shirt. Many people also wore ribbon skirts in honor of the day.