Mahpiya Luta Summer Research Institute

The Mahpiya Luta Summer Research Institute will immerse high school students from Mahpiya Luta Owayawa, a school on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, in a research experience that equip them with tools to explore a share the history of their school (formerly an Indian boarding school). The institute will take place at Marquette University where students will receive training in research methods, primary source analysis using Teaching with Primary Sources, Library of Congress tools), and the ethics and responsibilities of historical storytelling. Students will combine archival research, historical inquiry, and writing to explore primary sources from Marquette University’s Mahpiya Luta’s archival collections and the Library of Congress’s “Exploring the Stories Behind Native American Boarding Schools” set. Students will also attend presentations by the Head of Special Collections and faculty members in American Indian Studies to deepen their understanding of archival practices and Indigenous history. Students will create an exhibit to showcase their findings and present their work at Marquette University.