Minneapolis, MN — The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) is calling on Native American boarding school survivors who attended before 1970 to take part in the 22nd and final stop of the NABS Oral History Project, taking place June 22-26, 2026 at DoubleTree by Hilton Tulsa Downtown, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

NABS’ visit to Oklahoma marks a pivotal moment for boarding school relatives to preserve their personal histories through professional video interviews. Participants' stories will become part of a permanent collection with the Library of Congress, ensuring their experiences are honored and remembered for generations to come.

This effort is a cornerstone of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative— a historic undertaking to document, acknowledge, and reckon with the experiences of boarding school survivors.

“We are honored and humbled by the trust, kindness, and courage that continues to be demonstrated by our elders who have shared so much with us on this historic journey,” said NABS Deputy CEO, Dr. Samuel Xochikoyotl Torres (Mexica/Nahua). “Having begun this work in Oklahoma over two years ago, it is important that we honor the request to return and finish what we began in a ceremonial way. To walk this way of remembering and honoring together as relatives is a gift that we know will have a critical impact toward intergenerational healing for all nations.” 

Time slots are limited; early registration is strongly encouraged. Interviews are by appointment only. 

Oklahoma Event Details:

  • Dates: Monday, June 22 - Friday, June 26, 2026
  • Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Tulsa Downtown, 616 W 7th St., Tulsa, OK 74127
  • Who Should Participate: Survivors that attended a federally supported Indian boarding school in the United States by 1970. Interviews by appointment only. 
  • Registration Information: Visit https://www.tfaforms.com/5092936 or call 651-650-4445 

To learn more, please visit https://boardingschoolhealing.org/oral-history-project or contact the oral history project team at 651-650-4445 or OralHistoryProject@nabshc.org.

To learn more about Indian boarding schools in Oklahoma, please visit https://bit.ly/NABS-Oklahoma.  

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