The City of Salem has celebrated Indigenous People’s Day since 2021 to honor Native Americans and recognize significant indigenous people and their contributions to our community. Chemawa opened in Salem in 1885, and while it has a difficult history, this school currently focuses on fostering student achievement while honoring tribal cultural identity. Historically, Chemawa Indian School’s Athletic program was very successful, with teams like their Baseball Team successfully competing throughout Oregon and Washington. These teams had many skilled Indigenous athletes such as Reuben Sanders, who was inducted into Oregon’s American Indian Hall of Fame in 1999.

To learn more and to see a drawing of Reuben please visit: https://www.aiahof.com/reubensanders.php

To learn more about Chemewa’s Athletic programs and see David Lewis’s article about Reuben Sanders please visit Oregon Encylopedia.com

https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/sanders_reuben_c/