Who Gets to Tell the Stories? Carlisle Indian School: Imagining a Place of Memory Through Descendant Voices

Abstract

Who gets to tell the stories of our loved ones? Most Indian boarding school research emphasizes student experiences. When descendants are considered, the intergenerational impacts on subsequent generations are emphasized. The discussion in this article privileges descendant voices. I analyze a descendant survey paying attention to how descendants recollect their family's experience at Carlisle. I argue stories passed on to descendants become our own stories, informing how we make sense of boarding school history and integrate narratives into our lives. Memories and recollections are co-constructed, reconstructed, and sometimes contested while making significant contributions to Carlisle's legacy. Ownership and responsibility for our stories must be considered as we look at possibilities for creating a heritage center at the Farmhouse located at the U.S. Army War College.