President Joe Biden issued a formal apology for the United States policy of forcibly separating indigenous children from their families and sending them to federally backed boarding schools for forced assimilation for over 150 years. This apology comes after an investigation by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary, which found at least 973 deaths of Native American children at these schools. The investigation identified 417 institutions across 37 states operational between 1819 and 1969, where many children suffered physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Biden acknowledged that the true number of deaths is likely much higher.
The president’s apology was met with mixed reactions, with some, like Alex White Plume, a former president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, feeling it was not meaningful without further action to address the historical trauma and injustice inflicted on indigenous communities. Cecelia Fire Thunder, the first female president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, emphasized the need for resources for behavioral health in affected communities and highlighted that forgiveness is not a concept present in their culture.
While some welcomed Biden’s apology, others, like the demonstrator in Phoenix holding a sign that read “There are still babies in mass graves your apology means nothing,” indicated that more needs to be done to address the lasting impact of these policies. The road to reconciliation and healing for indigenous communities in the United States will require more than just words, but concrete actions to address the historical injustices and trauma inflicted on them.
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