A sin on our soul

October 29, 2024 12:48 PM

President Biden issues ‘formal apology’ on behalf of Indian Boarding School Policy

Biden called the 150-year boarding school era “one of the most horrific chapters in American history” and is the first U.S. President to issue an apology. “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. I formally apologize as President of the United States of America for what we did. I formally apologize. That’s long overdue,” Biden said. “Quite frankly there’s no excuse for this apology that took 150 years to make. The federal Indian Boarding School policy, the pain it has caused, will always be a significant mark of shame, a blot, on American history.”

Reactions to the apology from native communities have been largely positive, but have also emphasized that more work is needed

The Biden-Harris administration has been lauded for its significant advancement in Native rights and federal support, including nominating Deb Haaland as the first Native American Secretary of the Interior, allocating billions of dollars in direct payments to tribal governments for infrastructure and healthcare, stopping the Keystone XL pipeline, creating a Missing & Murdered unit in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and requiring museums to repatriate cultural artifacts to their tribes.

However, in June 2024, the Interior Department has released the results of their 3-year investigation into the long-term impacts of the federal boarding school polices. The apology is only the first of their recommendations; further steps include future investments, memorials, research, and repatriation efforts. These recommendations were identified in consultation with tribal leaders across the United States, and the need for continued action has been echoed across communities in the response to Biden's apology.

Levi "Calm Before the Storm" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, founder of Native News Online) comments:

Some have criticized the apology coming within two weeks of the 2024 presidential election. Some say it was merely political. 

On Friday, I was asked if it was political on NPR’s “Here and Now.” My answer: “I don’t care…it happened.”

For those who understand the American system, most everything done in government is done for political purposes. During elections, it is called the power of incumbency. 

President Biden’s track record with Native Americans during his administration speaks for itself. He has been the best president for Indian Country in U.S. history.

There is no way one person–or even one presidential administration–can remedy the centuries of abuse and neglect perpetrated against tribal nations and communities.

So, the apology will not correct those wrongs or ills. However, the Federal Indian Boarding School Investigative Report, Volume II, released by the Interior Department in June 2024, contains eight recommendations for further healing of Indian Country. President Biden’s apology was the first recommendation and he fulfilled it.

After January 20, 2025, the recommendations will still be there for the next presidential administration to move along the track to healing. 

Previous FPPs on Indian boarding schools in the USA and Canada (who issued a formal apology in 2008).

posted by brook horse (10 comments total)

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Thank you for posting this, brook horse.
posted by kristi at 1:37 PM on October 29 [12 favorites]

real work cannot start without recognition and apology

now for real work

in my part of western Canada, it's slow going. land acknowledgments are a thing, most large organizations pay at least token efforts toward that, and some PSIs have invested in Indigenous Learners with access to funding, development of curricula, and baby steps toward de-colonization in the framework of the institution

if a single focus on how progress is slow and can yield to reactionary backsliding at any time, then here is that focus. real conciliation is a rethinking of everything

one settler's response
posted by ginger.beef at 2:06 PM on October 29 [13 favorites]

This is long overdue. It’s an important step. There’s much more that needs to be done to be sure, but this is important.
posted by azpenguin at 3:09 PM on October 29 [5 favorites]

Not to Canada hijack but in good news, land was returned to First Nations in Nanaimo. this is from a treaty in late 1800s! It is valuable land right downtown and had been slated for redevelopment (dilapidated hotel is there now).
posted by St. Peepsburg at 4:24 PM on October 29 [17 favorites]

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posted by meese at 6:52 PM on October 29

Mod note: Couple of comments removed. Let's avoid doomerism and bringing in other issues to this subject, thank you.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 5:09 AM on October 30 [3 favorites]

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posted by nothing.especially.clever at 5:21 AM on October 30

I good, solid first step. Let's make sure it's not the last.
posted by grubi at 5:31 AM on October 30 [1 favorite]

Excellent start. Let's get to work!
posted by fairlynearlyready at 12:02 AM on October 31 [1 favorite]

It took a bit of clicking to find, but I managed to watch Biden’s speech and (to continue the Canada hijack) I think he did a far better job with his apology than Stephen Harper did with Canada’s apology. For one thing, where Biden used “I statements”, Harper seemed to be living in third person during his speech.

Also, since he’s a big part of the “Canada” link, I’ll mention that I saw Kevin Annett speak around 2002 or so. He did a pretty job and his later turn to wild conspiracy thinking was surprising. However, I did have an acquaintance (Haida, I think) who worked with, or helped, Annett and he didn’t have any good things to say about the guy.

Anyway, last summer I picked up a bit of the language the residential school pretty much did its job in taking from my grandmother. So, I can say thank you, or rather, kukstsémc, Brook Horse.
posted by house-goblin at 10:03 AM on October 31 [2 favorites]