Oklahoma’s oldest Native American school, Bacone College, is threatened by debts and disrepair

By GRAHAM LEE BREWER
AP National Writer

MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma’s oldest Native American school is nearing the brink of closure as years of poor financial decisions, inconsistent leadership and disrepair threaten what was once a haven for Indigenous academics. There are no students learning this semester at Bacone College in Muskogee. Spring courses were suspended after a lawsuit last year crippled Bacone’s finances. Former employees say the problems have been mounting for years. The property the school sits on has been put up for sale twice to settle its debts, most recently in December. But both auctions were called off. Litigation is pending and it’s unclear what might happen next. The interim president says she is grateful for more time to try to save Bacone.