Stories
Thousands of students attended Carlisle in its 39 years of operation. There are countless stories to tell about Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Stories of trauma and triumph. Stories of pain and resilience. Stories of loss and survival. We offer some of these stories in digital format below. Help us bring these stories to life by donating toward the heritage center and museum we plan to build in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Do you have a personal story to share about Carlisle or the boarding school era? Do you have photographs, articles, or memorabilia from Carlisle that has been passed down through your family? We want to hear from you! We want to create a legacy that honors the thousands of students who attended Carlisle and thousands more who attended other boarding schools, and we need your help to create that legacy. Please share your story of any length below.
Stories
Statement of Deb Haaland, before the Senate Committee of Indian Affairs
STATEMENT OF DEB HAALAND, SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BEFORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS June 22, 2022 Hello and good afternoon, Chairman Schatz, Vice Chairman Murkowski, and members of the Committee. My name is Deb Haaland, and I serve as the Secretary of the Interior. It is an honor
Jesse Paul & Nez Perce
Jesse Paul & Nez Perce As a young child, Jesse Paul (Ka-khun-nee, Black Raven) encountered significant trauma in his life. His father and all five of his siblings died in the Nez Perce War of 1877. After the tribe surrendered, Jesse and his mother were sent to exile camps at Fort Leavenworth, then Baxter Springs,
Zitkála-Šá: Trailblazing American Indian Composer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHaggw_Za7g Zitkála-Šá: Trailblazing American Indian Composer The story of Zitkala-Sa (Gertrude Simmons Bonnin) who won the citizenship battle and was the first Native woman to write an opera inspired by the most sacred ceremony among the Plains Tribes. It was a way to instruct the colonizers about the importance of Indian culture in a language
Memories of Carlisle with my Dad
written by Sandra Cianciulli
Carlisle by the Numbers
39 years of operation
186 graves of children who died while attending
140+ tribes
Hundreds of boarding schools, both private and government-run, were modeled after Carlisle.
Thousands of Students
Support
We want to honor the legacy of the children who attended Carlisle by building a heritage center and museum near the original school site. You can support this vision by donating, by contacting us to arrange a visit, or by sharing our website or social media. Every donation and every piece of information you share helps educate the public and keep these stories alive.