In alliance with Indigenous peoples and communities, SUNY Potsdam will officially recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday, Sept. 30.
This annual recognition honors the thousands of Indigenous children who were forcefully removed from their families and communities to attend residential schools during the 19th and 20th centuries in North America. The remains of more than 5,000 Indigenous children have been discovered, with much more likely yet to be found.
Canada first recognized the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a federal statutory holiday last year, to be held annually on Sept. 30. Localities and organizations around the globe have likewise begun to recognize the commemoration, in solidarity and support.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation honors the children who died, celebrates the resilience of Indigenous peoples, and affirms the commitment that every child matters. Orange shirts are worn on Sept. 30, referencing a real orange shirt taken from Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor, on her first day at a church-run residential school.
The campus Native American Working Group commissioned Taylor Francis ’20, a Mohawk from Akwesasne and SUNY Potsdam art education graduate, to create the first official orange shirt design for SUNY Potsdam, shown here. Orange shirts can be purchased by contacting Sharlee Thomas at thomassc@potsdam.edu.
Please consider participating in this day of remembrance and reconciliation by wearing an orange shirt and/or purchasing the SUNY Potsdam orange shirt on Friday, Sept. 30, while we reflect and remember.