A Journey Back to St. Joseph's Indian School

Join us this week on Hidden Heritage as we visit St. Joseph's Indian School in Chamberlain, South Dakota. This emotional episode follows the host's journey of discovering his true Lakota heritage after being adopted at birth and raised in a white middle-class farming community in Minnesota. The story takes a poignant turn as he revisits the school that played a significant, yet unknown, role in his early life. Father Steve Huffstetter, then director of St. Joseph's, shares the history and mission of the school, which has been a beacon of hope for Native American children since its founding in 1927. The episode explores the school's evolution, its educational programs from grades one through high school, and its commitment to spiritual and cultural education. Learn about the challenges faced by Native American communities and how St. Joseph's Indian School strives to offer opportunities and support to its students. The episode concludes with a heartwarming moment in the campus chapel, where the host reconnects with his past by playing the old pipe organ, bringing his journey full circle.