The Story Behind the Orange Shirt
In 1973, six-year-old Phyllis Webstad arrived at St. Joseph Mission Residential School wearing a bright orange shirt that her grandmother had bought for her.
When she arrived, the shirt was taken away. She never wore it again.
Phyllis’s experience became the story behind Orange Shirt Day and a reminder of what was taken from Indigenous children through the residential school system, their families, languages, cultures, identities and sense of belonging.
Today, as we recognize Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we honour Survivors, remember the children who never returned home, and continue to listen and learn.
We encourage our community to take some time today to learn about Phyllis’s story in her own words.
Learn more:
Orange Shirt Society — Phyllis Webstad’s Story
https://orangeshirtday.org/phyllis-story/
