American Indian Resources

Orange Shirt Day

Orange Shirt Day is a time to reflect on the history and ongoing impacts of both the Canadian residential school system and Indian Boarding School system in the United States.

Local Event
Orange Shirt Day History
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

A public commemoration for the Indigenous survivors and children who never returned home from the American Indian Residential Schools and increase awareness of the inter-generational impacts the program has had on individuals, families, and communities.

September 28, 2024,
Natural History Museum of Utah
301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108
11:00am - 1:30pm

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Phyllis Webstad explains the inspiration that led her to found Orange Shirt Day. Note: this video contains content that may not be suitable for all viewers.

 

Resources

Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters - NACI
The NACI Every Child Matters resources focus on Understanding History, Boarding Schools in Utah, a FAQ and Lesson Plans for Teachers. This resource can help you thoughtfully decide how best to teach Orange Shirt Day lessons in your community and your classroom.
Cultural Survival
Orange Shirt Day, also called National Day for Truth and Reconciliation or National Day of Remembrance, is observed yearly on September 30 in Canada and the United States.
The Reckoning: Native American Boarding Schools’ Painful History Unearthed
NBC News’ Cynthia McFadden reports on the dark history of Native American boarding schools in the U.S. An effort is ongoing to use ground-penetrating radar to look for the unmarked graves of children who may be buried at Red Cloud Indian School in South Dakota.
PBS Learning Media: Molly of Denali - Grandpa's Drum
Explore Alaska Native history and culture using the 11-minute story "Grandpa's Drum" in this episode from the PBS KIDS series MOLLY OF DENALI™.
American Indian Boarding Schools Haunt Many
American Indians and the American government have lived with a harsh legacy for 130 years. The government took tens of thousands of Indian children far away from their reservations to schools where they were required to dress, pray, work and speak as mainstream Americans. NPR's Charla Bear has the first of two reports.
Activities for Engaging Your Community on Orange Shirt Day
Activities you can do with middle or secondary students to engage them in honor the children who survived residential schools in Canada and the United States, to remember those who did not, and to share in a spirit of reconciliation and hope. 
3 things you might not know about Orange Shirt Day
Wearing an orange shirt on September 30 reminds us of the impact of residential schools still felt today. The day that raises awareness about residential schools was inspired by a heart-wrenching story.
Orange Shirt Society
Established in 2013, The Orange Shirt Society (Society) is a non-profit organization based in Williams Lake, BC to creating awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of Indian Residential Schools.
Every Child Matters - Orange Shirt Day Activity
Students can complete this activity and teachers can display their completed shirts on their classroom window or bulletin board.
Through the Eyes of a 6-Year-old Child, Orange Became a Symbol of an Indigenous Movement
This story was published in observance of Orange Shirt Day in 2021. Native News Online is republishing it again this year.
Truth and Healing Curriculum
The Truth and Healing Curriculum is comprised of four (4) robust lessons on Indian boarding schools covering History, Impacts, Stories, and Healing, and is appropriately sectioned into three (3) learning levels: primary, middle, and upper grades.
Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative
In June 2021, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, a comprehensive effort to recognize the troubled legacy of federal Indian boarding school policies with the goal of addressing their intergenerational impact and to shed light on the traumas of the past.