President Joe Biden Apologizes to Native Americans
Acknowledging Historic Boarding School Abuses
In a significant address in Laveen, Arizona, US President Joe Biden issued a heartfelt apology to Native Americans for the federal government-funded Indian boarding schools that operated over a 150-year period. These schools forced Indigenous children to assimilate, marking what Biden described as “one of the most horrific chapters in American history.”
During his speech, Biden called for a moment of silence to honor those lost and the generations affected by this trauma. He expressed regret that it took 150 years to make this apology. Between 1819 and 1969, at least 18,000 children were taken from their families and made to attend over 400 boarding schools across 37 states or territories.
In 2021, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American Cabinet secretary, initiated the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to assess the schools’ impacts. The final report revealed that at least 973 Native American children died while attending these schools.
Biden emphasized the importance of acknowledging the past, stating, “Generations of native children were stolen, taken away to places they didn’t know, with people they never met, who spoke a language they had never heard.” He highlighted the emotional, physical, and sexual abuse suffered by the children, some of whom were forced into hard labor or put up for adoption without parental consent.
This visit to the Gila Crossing Community School marked Biden’s first visit to Indian Country as President and the first visit by a sitting president to tribal lands in a decade. He acknowledged that no apology could fully compensate for the losses endured but expressed hope for moving forward into a brighter future.
Doubts Revealed
Joe Biden -: Joe Biden is the President of the United States. He is like the leader of the country, similar to how India has a Prime Minister.
Native Americans -: Native Americans are the original people who lived in America before people from Europe came. They have their own unique cultures and traditions.
Boarding School Abuses -: Boarding school abuses refer to the bad treatment and harm that Native American children faced in schools where they were forced to live away from their families. These schools tried to erase their culture and language.
Arizona -: Arizona is a state in the United States. It’s located in the southwestern part of the country and is known for its desert landscape and the Grand Canyon.
Indigenous -: Indigenous refers to the original people of a place. In this context, it means the Native American tribes who were the first inhabitants of America.
Tribal lands -: Tribal lands are areas of land that are managed by Native American tribes. These lands are important for preserving their culture and way of life.
