By Renée Leta On October 23, a 43-foot tall golden spike artwork arrived on the steps of the Utah State Capitol. The impressive “Golden Spike Monument,” by artist Douwe Blumberg, was the result of more than three years of work. The monument began as an artistic idea from the nonprofit Golden Spike Foundation’s close work with numerous divisions within the Utah Department of …
By Renée Leta This month, Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox declared November 2023 as Native American Heritage Month and November 3, 2023 as Indigenous Day. The declaration pays tribute to the Tribes’ rich ancestry and traditions, and calls for the advancement of Native American culture and opportunities. The state’s celebration draws on a 30-year-old national tradition. In 1990, U.S. President …
Date: April 17, 2023 (Season 5, Episode 12: 1 hour and 7 minutes long). Click here for the BuzzSprout version of this Speak Your Piece episode. Are you interested in other episodes of Speak Your Piece? Click here. The episode was co-produced by Brad Westwood, Chelsey Zamir, and Dr. Katherine Kitterman, with sound engineering and post-production editing from Jason T. …
By Renée Leta and Ellen Weist For the past decade, Amy Barry has overseen the state’s Cemeteries Program, now part of the Utah State Historic Preservation Office. She maintains the Cemeteries and Burials database, offers preservation workshops, and maintains an alphabetical list and map of all the cemeteries and burial sites throughout the state. She also oversees the state’s annual …
Gritos — emotion-filled yells – punctuated the lively music echoing off the marble walls of the Utah Capitol Rotunda. More than 400 people attended Sones de Mariachi en Utah on Aug 30, the state’s first-ever competition and exhibition showcasing the popular Mexican folk music. Attendees filled seats and gathered on the Capitol stairs and balconies, the turnout representing the vibrancy …
By Reneé Leta In 2018, some 87 percent of Utah students graduated from high school. However, among Native American and Hispanic learners, only one in five met that mark. Research shows that students who are more literate will lead more successful lives and develop the skills needed to transition to adulthood. This fall, the Utah State Library Division will bring …
Date: August 29, 2022 (Season 5, Episode 1: 53 minutes & 56 seconds long). Click here for the BuzzSprout version of this Speak Your Piece episode. Are you interested in other episodes of Speak Your Piece? Click here. The above photo is of a circa 1970s high school graduate group at Brigham City’s Intermountain Indian School (1950-1984). Photo courtesy of …
Date: September 26, 2022 (Season 5, Episode 4: 54 minutes and 19 seconds long). Click here for the BuzzSprout version of this Speak Your Piece episode. Are you interested in other episodes of Speak Your Piece? Click here. The above photo is of the Carlisle Indian Boarding School student body, circa 1885. The Carlisle Indian Boarding School, located in Carlisle, …
Date: October 3, 2022 (Season 5, Episode 5: 53 minutes 56 seconds). Click here for the BuzzSprout version of this Speak Your Piece episode. Are you interested in other episodes of Speak Your Piece? Click here. The above photo is of Spencer W. Kimball, the 12th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, seated with four Navajo …
Date: October 24, 2022 (Season 5, Episode 6: 80 minutes long). Click here for the BuzzSprout version of this Speak Your Piece episode. Are you interested in other episodes of Speak Your Piece? Click here. The above photo is of a Diné mother and daughters, circa mid-1950s, beside a hogan at Oljato-Monument Valley (Navajo: Ooljééʼtó). Photo courtesy of the Utah …
Date: August 29, 2022 (Season 5, Episode 11: 38 minutes and 41 seconds long). Click here for the BuzzSprout version of this Speak Your Piece episode. Are you interested in other episodes of Speak Your Piece? Click here. The above cropped photo shows a group of swimmers at the Intermountain Indian School (1950-1984), one of the country’s largest Native American …
Date: May 30, 2023 (Season 5, Episode 13: 54 minutes and 21 seconds long). Click here for the BuzzSprout version of this Speak Your Piece episode. Are you interested in other episodes of Speak Your Piece? Click here. The episode was co-produced by Brad Westwood and Chelsey Zamir with help (sound engineering and post-production editing) from Jason Powers, from the …