In a historic moment of acknowledgment and remorse, President Biden issued a formal apology on behalf of the United States government for the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative. Describing the program as “one of the most horrific chapters in American history,” Biden addressed the devastating legacy of forced assimilation that spanned over 150 years, ending in 1969.
The U.S. Department of the Interior has documented that the program established 408 schools across 37 states, with the express purpose of “culturally assimilating American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian children.” This involved forcibly removing children from their families, communities, languages, religions, and cultural beliefs, effectively severing their connection to their heritage.
Addressing an audience at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona, Biden emphasized the gravity of the situation. “After 150 years, the United States government eventually stopped the program. But the federal government has never, never formally apologized for what happened — until today,” he stated. “I formally apologize, as President of the United States of America, for what we did. I formally apologize. That’s long overdue.”
Biden delved into the history of the program, explaining how it transitioned from a voluntary effort in the 1800s to a mandated policy of forced removal. “At first, in the 1800s, the effort was voluntary, asking tribes… to send their children away to vocational schools. But then the federal government mandated the removal of children from their families and tribes, launching what’s called the Federal Indian Boarding School era,” he said.
The president painted a stark picture of the devastating impact of the program: “Generations of native children stolen, taken away to places they didn’t know, with people they never met, who spoke a language they had never heard. Native communities silenced. Their children’s laughter and play were gone.”
He further described the cruel and traumatic practices employed at these schools: “Children would arrive at schools, their clothes taken off, their hair that they were told was sacred, was chopped off, their names literally erased, replaced by a number or an English name.”
The consequences of this systemic program were profound. The Associated Press reports that at least 973 Native American children died during the program, while more than 18,000 were forcibly separated from their parents.
Biden’s apology, though long overdue, marks a significant step towards acknowledging the historical trauma inflicted upon Indigenous communities. It stands as a testament to the ongoing struggle for truth, justice, and healing for generations impacted by this dark chapter in American history.