Orange Shirt Day was established to honor the legacy of Inuit and Metis children who were forcibly removed from their parents and sent to residential schools in Canada between the 1830s and 1980s.
Every year on September 30, Orange Shirt Day is observed to commemorate the indigenous Canadian children who were sent to residential schools and compelled to assimilate into the dominant culture. This day serves as a reminder to support survivors and oppose all forms of racism, including systemic racism, as well as abuse in our societies.
Orange Shirt Day was established to honor the legacy of Inuit and Metis children who were forcibly removed from their parents and sent to residential schools in Canada between the 1830s and 1980s. The day is observed to recognize the ongoing healing process in the lives of those afflicted.
The Canadian government funded a network of boarding and day institutions known as residential schools. The ultimate objective of the institutions was to isolate the children from their indigenous cultures, going so far as to forbid them from speaking their ancestral tongues. To reduce parental visits, schools were constructed at significant distances from indigenous communities. There were approximately 150,000 students sent to residential schools. The students were subjected to overcrowding, malnutrition, inadequate medical care, and physical and sexual assault.
Phylis Westbad shared her experience with the world at the 2013 St. Joseph Mission Residential School Commemoration Project reunion event, which led to the establishment of Orange Shirt Day. At the age of six, just before Phylis left her family for residential education, her grandmother gave her an orange shirt. When she arrived at school, however, the garment was confiscated and she never saw it again. From that point forward, the orange shirt represents the systematic destruction of local cultures and the traumatic experiences the children had to endure.
Even if they are now adults, “Every Child Matters” is the motto of the day. It functions as a reminder that every child, regardless of culture, race, or religion, deserves equal opportunities and fair treatment.
Thunderbirds Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities
Before the late 1400s, orange was known in Europe as yellow-red.
During the Elizabethan period, only nobility were permitted to wear orange.
Orange and yellow are the colors most commonly associated with amusement and entertainment in Europe and the United States.
Orange is used to warn people of potential peril, which is why lifejackets, buoys, and traffic cones are orange.
Orange is also donned to raise awareness for other causes, such as animal cruelty and ADHD, in addition to Orange Shirt Day.
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | September 30 | Saturday |
| 2024 | September 30 | Monday |
| 2025 | September 30 | Tuesday |
| 2026 | September 30 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | September 30 | Thursday |
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