Every Child Matters: Orange Shirt Day and Truth and ReconciliationLike this list

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a federally recognized day to honour survivors and victims of residential schools. Commemoration of the tragic and painful history and its ongoing impacts is a vital component of the reconciliation process. The day provides an opportunity to remember, reflect, read, and learn; to honour the resiliency of Indigenous Peoples, and to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope. Orange Shirt Day is observed on or near September 30th each year. The date was chosen because it falls during the time of year when Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their homes, families, and communities and taken to residential schools. The orange shirt refers to the new shirt that author and activist Phyllis Webstad was given by her grandmother for her first day at St. Joseph’s Mission residential school. When Phyllis arrived at the school, all of her clothes were taken away, including her new shirt. It was never returned. Listening and learning are important first steps toward reconciliation. The titles in the following list are Indigenous-authored accounts of residential school experiences.

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