S2, E4 - 150 Years at Riverside Indian School: Timothy Yeahquo, Kiowa”

You’ve heard the heartbreaking stories of the American Indian boarding schools from years past. And the accounts continue to unfold – children of all ages being removed from their homes, a government intent on “killing the man, saving the Indian”, and innocent kids being taught to forsake their language, customs, traditions and all they’ve ever known. 

But what about the boarding schools that were turned over to the Bureau of Indian Affairs? There’s one such school today that’s run by American Indians, whose mission is not only to teach, but also to encourage and help students to understand, learn about and preserve their history, language ad culture.  

Today, we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Riverside Indian School – the oldest off-reservation Native American boarding school in the United States today! And this, my friends is a boarding school that’s a far cry from those of the past. 

Growing up in Anadarko, Oklahoma and my father working at Riverside, as well as knowing many alumni and teachers, allowed me the experience that others may not know or understand. Take a listen to hear why.

And there truly is so much more to this story. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Timothy Yeahquo (Kiowa) about:

• The history of Riverside and the Quakers who originally started it
• How the Navajo contributed to keeping Riverside from closing down
• Riverside’s former names
• 76 tribes from all over the US have attended to Riverside. One can walk through the campus at times, enjoying the sound of drums echoing through the campus or watching a game of stickball being played. 

For Riverside Indian School’s 150 year celebration in 2022, alumni, students and teachers will enjoy (at no cost) listening to a Riverside alumni comedian, a concert, a powwow, an art show, a fashion show and more!

For contributions (utilized for student events, shoes for sports, prom dresses, hygiene products and more), please contact: Timothy Yeahquo, timothy.yeahquo@bie.edu, Riverside Indian School, 101 Riverside Drive Anadarko, OK 73005 

Listeners, please stay tuned for a future episode dedicated to the children and tragic stories of the boarding schools, with a guest who will share about the historical trauma carried on today from her own experience, as well as that of her ancestors and thousands of others. We pray for hope and healing for all who have been affected and may we never forget the innocent children who lost so much. And we wish Riverside students many blessings on their journey of education, cultural preservation and future opportunities! 

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