Project: TRUTH Project

The Towards Recognition and University-Tribal Healing—TRUTH—project is a Native-organized, Native-led, community-driven research movement that offers multiple recommendations on how the University of Minnesota community can be in better relation with Indigenous peoples. Few universities had ever considered the contemporary impacts of their formations from the land dispossession used to create the Morrill Act of 1862 until Robert Lee and Tristan Ahtone published “Land Grab Universities” (High Country News, 2020) and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council called for such an accounting of Mni Sóta Maḳoce’s land grab. The first of its kind, TRUTH is an exploratory study to assess what has been erased and effaced in order to reclaim what was grabbed by the University of Minnesota. TRUTH uses place-based, Tribally-led research designed to, for the first time, tell the story of Tribal-University relations from an Indigenous perspective. This is done through the centering of land, practicing relationality and amplifying Tribal voices.

Explore the complete TRUTH Project report at their website.

The TRUTH Project is a research initiative funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation through a grant to Minnesota Transform: A Just University for Just Futures and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council. MNT supports the project coordinator, 12 tribally appointed Tribal Research Fellows, and an Urban Indian Research Fellow, and several Research Assistants, including trainings, mentorship, and access to University archives.

Sign up for the TRUTH Project newsletter using this registration form.

Media links:

• Red Nation Podcast (hosted by Red Nation), five-episode series. Airs beginning March 13, 2023. Episode 1: “The TRUTH Project: Towards Recognition and University-Tribal Healing (pt. 1)” with Misty Blue, Audrianna Goodwin, and An Garagiola. Listen on Libsyn • Listen on Spotify.

• “Researchers reveal U’s painful past with Minnesota’s Indigenous people” by Dan Kraker and Melissa Olson for MPR. April 11, 2023.

• “New report outlines steps for University of Minnesota to repair its relationships with tribes” by Liz Navatril for Star Tribune. April 11, 2023.

• "New report examines U of M history of mistreating Native Americans and outlines recommendations for improving relations" by Cathy Wurzer, Dan Kraker and Melissa Olson for MN Daily. April 11, 2023.

• “Troubling stories surface as U probes its history with Native people” by Melissa Olson for MPR. June 30, 2022.