Overview

The mission of the Center for the Futures of Native Peoples is to advance truth-telling, scholarship, and public engagement that honor Indigenous living histories, affirm Indigenous sovereignty, and support Indigenous futures. The Center believes that understanding the boarding school era is inseparable from responsibility to Indigenous communities today. The CFNP works to ensure that education about the past informs ethical action in the present and sustained investment in the future.

Core Programs and Initiatives

Supporting Indigenous Futures

At its core, the CFNP is dedicated to facilitating conversations about Indigenous futures. The Center supports efforts related to cultural continuity, language revitalization, self-determination, and Indigenous leadership, recognizing that future-focused work is essential to addressing historical harm.

Academic Leadership and Curriculum Development

The CFNP strengthens Dickinson College’s academic offerings by supporting interdisciplinary teaching, faculty collaboration, and the long-term development of Native American & Indigenous Studies. The Center equips students with the historical grounding, ethical clarity, and global awareness necessary to engage thoughtfully with Indigenous issues in law, policy, education, the humanities, and public life.

Truthful Interpretation of the Carlisle Experience

The Center supports a fuller, more honest interpretation of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School—one that acknowledges its role as an instrument of cultural violence while situating it within a broader national system of federal policy. This work contributes to a more accurate understanding of American history and serves scholars, educators, descendants, and the public.

Scholarship, Research, and National Dialogue

The CFNP serves as a hub for scholarly exchange and intellectual leadership on Indigenous issues past, present, and future. The Center supports emerging scholars, convenes national conversations, and fosters research that extends well beyond Dickinson’s campus, contributing to field-shaping work in Indigenous studies and public humanities.

Digital Resources and Public Humanitites

Through initiatives such as the Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center, the CFNP expands access to historical records while prioritizing ethical stewardship and the interests of descendant communities. These resources support teaching, research, family history work, and public education at a national scale.

Symposia, Conferences, and Public Programming

The Center organizes Indigenously informed symposia, lectures, workshops, and conferences that bring together scholars, artists, policymakers, and community leaders. These convenings position CFNP as a national forum for thoughtful, future-oriented dialogue on Indigenous history, accountability, and leadership.

Community Engagement and Ethical Partnership

The CFNP builds reciprocal relationships with Native Nations, organizations, scholars, and storytellers grounded in respect, consent, and shared purpose. Engagement is approached not as outreach, but as responsibility—recognizing Indigenous communities as partners rather than subjects.