In a historic moment, US President Joe Biden issued a formal apology to Native Americans for the government’s role in separating Indigenous children from their parents and forcing them into abusive boarding schools. Biden, during his first-ever visit to Native country, called the boarding school abuses a “blot on American history” and a “sin on our soul.”
The boarding school system, in place between 1869 and the 1960s, forcibly took over 18,000 Indigenous children from their families for assimilation. Children faced abuse, were banned from their language and culture, and over 987 died in the system.
Despite the dark history, Biden’s apology at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona was met with warmth and gratitude. The visit also serves a political purpose, as Democrats hope it will boost Vice President Kamala Harris’s turnout efforts in Arizona, a key battleground state. Additionally, Biden highlighted his administration’s investments in tribal nations to improve infrastructure and provide jobs.
This event marks a crucial step in acknowledging and addressing the long-standing injustices faced by Native Americans, as well as showcasing the ongoing efforts to support and uplift Indigenous communities across the United States.