Truth in History: Examining Indian Boarding Schools in California
Photo Courtesy of Sherman Indian Museum
Series Overview
With the generous support of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) presents a three-part webinar series exploring the ongoing legacy of the U.S. Indian Boarding School era. Offering crucial insights into current efforts directed through education, advocacy, and healing, NABS is eager to engage the Tribal Nations of California in a national discussion on learning, leading, and healing from this under-examined period. While the “Truth in History” webinar series features the historical analysis and ongoing research and development of programs directed by NABS, representatives and researchers from Tribal communities from California will offer their voice to this dynamic series.
Part 1: Understanding and Addressing the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools through Examining Records
Wednesday, July 29, 2020 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. PDT
Leading in the pursuit of understanding and addressing the ongoing trauma created by the US Indian Boarding School policy, NABS was created to develop and implement a national strategy that increases public awareness and cultivates healing for the profound trauma experienced by individuals, families, communities, and Tribal Nations resulting from the U.S. adoption and implementation of the Boarding School Policy of 1869. This webinar session introduces the dynamic work that NABS has conducted, including the National Indian Boarding School Digital Archive (NIBSDA), a first of its kind digital repository equipped with the vision of Indigenous data sovereignty and increasing accessibility to the records of over 367 Indian boarding schools that NABS has identified.
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Part 2: Reviewing the Records and Histories of Indian Boarding Schools in California
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. PDT
This session invites a panel of California leaders, researchers, and archivists to provide context and feedback on a variety of issues related to Indian Boarding School records, including where records might be, what types of records should be searched for, and what should be done with the records. NABS will introduce finding aides, inventories, and other resources that accompany known collections, as well as objects that have already been digitized. Information shared in this episode will contextualize how insights produced from this collaborative work of locating and bringing awareness to these resources has charted crucial pathways toward community-led healing.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Part 3: Sharing and Contextualizing Sherman Indian Museum
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. PDT
Offering valuable context for the experiences and histories of Sherman Institute, this session features the work of the Sherman Indian Museum led by curators, Lorene Sisquoc and Amanda Wixon. Though Sherman Institute was the first off-reservation boarding school in California under the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the museum exists today as a non-federally operated entity. In addition to sharing a brief historical analysis of Sherman Institute, the process and impact of the Sherman Indian Museum’s digitization project will be explored, as well as how the museum has navigated curation protocols and ethical considerations regarding the digitization of Indian boarding school materials.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.