Key facts
- An oral history project by the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition is concluding.
- Over 360 Indigenous survivors have provided video testimony in 19 states.
- Survivors report feeling honored, restored, and beginning to recover from trauma.
- The project documents systemic abuse and forced assimilation policies from the 1800s.
- Testimonies will be preserved in the Library of Congress, with survivors retaining ownership.
An oral history project aimed at documenting the experiences of Native American boarding school survivors is nearing completion. Led by the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, the initiative has collected video testimonies from over 360 Indigenous individuals across 19 states.
Survivors have shared deeply personal stories, often for the first time, describing the systemic abuse and trauma they endured during decades of forced assimilation policies. Many participants have reported feeling a profound sense of healing, closure, and restoration through the process. Iona Mad Plume, a survivor of the Pierre Indian School, stated that the interview provided her with closure and allowed her to release haunting memories. Gene Bozicic, an 81-year-old survivor of Holy Childhood School of Jesus, expressed that the project has given her "backbone back" and instilled a greater sense of pride in her Native identity.
The project, a collaboration with the U.S. Department of the Interior, seeks to preserve these narratives for future generations. The collected video interviews will be housed in a permanent oral history collection at the Library of Congress, with survivors retaining full ownership and control over the public release of their stories. The coalition has implemented enhanced support systems for survivors, including dedicated decompression rooms and matching them with therapists specializing in trauma.
While this phase of the oral history work concludes, the coalition plans to continue its efforts with future projects, aiming for even greater inclusivity and a more comprehensive understanding of the intergenerational impact of the boarding school experience.