Orange Shirt Day serves as a day of reflection to honor the survivors of residential schools and remember those who did not return home.
Kent State University’s Native American Student Association (NASA) recognized Orange Shirt Day, or the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, on Sept. 30. Members of the student group engaged with the campus community on Risman Plaza by distributing orange t-shirts and flyers while initiating discussions about the legacy of residential schools and the generational trauma they caused.
Orange Shirt Day began with Phyllis Webstad, whose new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at a residential school, symbolizing the loss of culture and identity experienced by Indigenous children.
El Lewis, president of the student association, shared with Kent State Today the reason why the day is so important.
"Orange Shirt Day is a way for us to educate the campus on the generational trauma caused by residential schools and create opportunities for students to show support for Indigenous communities,” Lewis said. “We want to make sure the community at Kent State understands the history and ongoing impacts on Native families.”
According to Lewis, residential schools were government- and church-run boarding institutions in the U.S. and Canada. These schools removed Indigenous children from their homes, cut their hair, renamed them and restricted them from practicing their languages or cultures. Lewis said many children endured physical, emotional and sexual abuse, and some were never returned to their families. The trauma from these schools continues to affect Indigenous communities today.
Lewis and group members handed out t-shirts and offered educational flyers and conversations. Their goal was to ensure that students and faculty could engage meaningfully with the day’s significance, providing insight into the historical context of residential schools.
While Kent State’s Indigenous student population is small, Lewis believes it is essential to bring visibility to these important topics.
"You don’t have to be Native to join NASA or support our mission," Lewis said. "We welcome anyone who is willing to learn, listen and stand with us."
The group is planning additional events for Native American Heritage Month in November that will include educational talks and activities to further engage the campus in understanding Indigenous history and contemporary issues.
The E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center, in collaboration with the Native American Student Association, continues to serve as a resource for supporting efforts to foster a more inclusive and understanding community. As Orange Shirt Day concluded, Lewis hopes that the conversations and reflections sparked by the event will inspire lasting change and greater awareness across the Kent Campus.