06/16/2026
Featured Speaker:
Drucilla “D.D.” Salazar
Oral Historian, Chickasaw Nation Heritage Preservation Division
Drucilla “D.D.” Salazar is a proud citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and serves as the Oral Historian for the Chickasaw Nation’s Heritage Preservation Division. In this role, she helps preserve and honor Chickasaw history by collecting oral stories from Chickasaw elders and citizens, safeguarding family histories, cultural knowledge, and traditional ways of life for future generations.
D.D. also supports the meaningful work of returning boarding school records to former Chickasaw boarding school students and their families. Through this important process, she helps families reconnect with pieces of their own histories and supports continued healing and remembrance.
Raised in the oilfields of West Texas, D.D. developed a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for family, community, language, and culture. Her Chickasaw heritage was nurtured from an early age by her mother, Rose Shields-Jefferson, a fluent Chickasaw speaker who instilled in her a lasting pride in their language and traditions.
Today, D.D. resides in Ada, Oklahoma, with her husband, David. She is surrounded by her children and grandchildren, who continue to inspire her commitment to preserving Chickasaw history and culture for generations to come.
Join us August 8 as D.D. shares her knowledge and experience on the topic of Indian Boarding Schools.
