The Second Annual Fort Marion Symposium was held in Oklahoma in 2024 and brought together tribal leaders, tribal historic preservation officers, descendants, scholars, and National Park Service partners to honor the Fort Marion prisoners of 1875–1878 and explore the lasting impact of their experiences. Over three days, participants from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Kiowa Nation, Comanche Nation, and Shawnee Tribe joined representatives from the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas National Monuments, UCF, Flagler College, and the Missouri Historical Society.
Through presentations, discussions, and personal reflections, attendees examined topics ranging from the histories of the Darlington Agency, Sand Hill, and the Wolf Creek and Sand Creek massacres to the origins of the federal boarding school system, intergenerational trauma, and the significance of Native ledger drawings, including the return of a Kiowa ledger created by the artist Wohaw.
At the heart of the symposium were story-sharing sessions, where descendants of the Heap Of Birds, Roman Nose, and Oakerhater families, among others, shared family histories and personal perspectives. Youth speakers highlighted resilience, leadership, and the importance of carrying these stories forward, while the symposium concluded with a conversation focused on expanding public understanding of this history and supporting ongoing efforts toward remembrance, education, and healing.
Project Team
Project Lead
