Doug George-Kanentiio - Residential Schools: The Enduring Shame of North America: A Personal Narrative from a Survivor

Doug George-Kanentiio (Akwesasne Mohawk) is the chairperson of the Akwesasronon Shonataten:ron, the Residential School Survivors of Akwesasne. He was taken from his home and assigned to the Mohawk Institute, one of Canada's most notorious places of confinement for indigenous children. He was expelled in June of 1968. Throughout his life he has served the Mohawk people as a land claims negotiator, a journalist, a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum of the American Indian and as a cofounder of the Akwesasne Communications Society and the Native American Journalists Association. He is the husband of the late Joanne Shenandoah, America's most honored Native musician.

Orange Shirt Day was started in Williams Lake, B.C. in 2013 to commemorate all Residential School Survivors. The orange shirts are a symbol of solidarity. Wearing orange recognizes the many losses experienced by students, their families and communities, over several generations, including loss of family and culture, language, freedom, parenting, self-esteem and worth, and painful experiences of abuse and neglect. September 30th falls during the time of year when Indigenous children were taken away to residential schools.

The talk will start at 5PM on September 29th in Klarman Hall G70 with a reception in the Klarman atrium after the talk. This event is free and open to the public.