Preserving the voices of native Chickasaw speakers is an essential part of the language revitalization process. Chickasaw language transcriptionist Kimberly Johnson is leading the effort to record and translate the stories shared by fluent speakers. "Every speaker has a way of speaking, a way of saying words, certain words that they remember that maybe other speakers don't," Kimberly says. "That's incredibly valuable for people who are learning the language."

As Kimberly travels around Oklahoma gathering recordings, other fluent speakers join her to help facilitate conversations. "They have a conversation, we record them, and that way their voice is able to be represented in what we're preserving," Kimberly says. As a fluent Chickasaw speaker committed to the language revitalization efforts, Rose Shields Jefferson understands the unique stories and experiences of the other elders. "I want to hear the other fluent speakers and see what stories they have," says Rose. "It just brings back memories because we all kind of went through the same thing."

Kimberly's goal throughout the Decade of the Chickasaw Language is to meet with and record every fluent speaker throughout the Chickasaw Nation. Language revitalization is at a critical point, and by preserving the voices, stories and experiences of fluent speakers Kimberly and her team ensure future generations will be able to learn Chickasaw.

Chickasaw Removal, Part 1

Preserving Speakers' Voices

January 1, 2026

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