The 22nd and final stop of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition Oral History Project will take place June 22-26 in Tulsa. Its mission is to document the history of living survivors of boarding schools to better educate the public about these institutions, assimilation and the policies that have shaped Indian Country.
The Library of Congress and the Smithsonian American History Museum will permanently house the interviews, which are anticipated to be released in early 2027.
Only those who attended a federally supported Indian boarding school in the U.S. before 1970 are eligible to participate.
Charlee Brissette, who is Sault Ste. Marie Ojibwe, the co-director of the project, said it allows the survivors' experiences to be honored, and in many cases, healing follows after their stories are shared.
"We've seen it at every single site visit where a survivor comes up to us after their interview or later on in the week, and they say that they feel a huge relief," Brissette said. "They feel a weight lifted off their shoulders …and they didn't realize that it was weighing on them until they shared it and were able to let it go."
She said when one person heals, it has "a ripple effect to their family, their community, and their entire tribal nation."
What to expect during the interview process
Brissette said this is the last chance to have one's voice recorded for this project. There are about 25 open slots.
She said the process may bring up traumatic memories, and the team is prepared for that as they intentionally designed it with the utmost care and support in mind.
"We start by having a phone call with them in the weeks leading up to the site visit to start building that relationship because there can be some anxieties with the thought of sharing one story," Brissette said. "From there, we set up an interview time, and we asked them to arrive one hour prior to their interview."
Brissette said the whole process takes about two to three hours, depending on how much is shared in the interview.
"After the interview, we have what we call a quiet room, which is where they'll get time to spend with an Indigenous social worker, an Indigenous licensed therapist, who's had experience working with boarding school survivors," Brissette said. "So that way, if anything comes up during their interview, they'll be able to talk through that and kind of decompress and reintegrate back into the welcome space. "
In the weeks following, participants receive a care package. They also retain the rights to their interviews and photographed portraits taken as part of the project.
NABS also provides travel and lodging assistance. Brissette said those interested do not need to live in Oklahoma to take part in the Tulsa interviews.
Timeslots are limited. Those interested in participating are encouraged to reach out to NABS before the Tulsa event by calling 651-650-4445 or filling out an online form. More information can be found on the organization's website.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
