Biden expresses regret to Native American community over abusive federally-backed residential schools
"I'm telling you straight up, there's no acceptable reason for this apology to have taken 150 years to surface," Biden expressed in Laveen, Arizona, after requesting a solemn moment of reflection to honor the memories of those harmed and the generations still grappling with this suffering.
Over 18,000 indigenous children were forcibly separated from their families and admitted to over 400 educational institutions spread across 37 states or territories between 1819 and 1969. Three years prior, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve in a Cabinet position, initiated the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to evaluate the influence of these institutions on Native American communities.
The investigative team concluded that at least 973 indigenous children perished while enrolled in these federal boarding schools.
"As your president," Biden stated on Friday, "I believe it's essential to acknowledge that generations of indigenous children were stolen, transported to unfamiliar places, and exposed to strangers speaking a language unknown to them."
"The voices of native communities were stifled – the joyful laughter and playful sounds of children vanished," he continued. "... Indigenous children endured emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, were coerced into grueling labor, put up for adoption without their birth parents' approval, or abandoned in unmarked graves."
Biden added that the children who returned home were left with physical and emotional scars.
Biden made these remarks at the Gila Crossing Community School near Phoenix, marking his initial visit to Native American lands in his presidency and the first such visit by a sitting president in 10 years, since then-President Barack Obama's trip to the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation in 2014.
Biden acknowledged that "no apology can compensate for the irrevocable loss endured during the oppressive policies of federal boarding schools."
However, the president assured, "we're now making steps towards emerging into the light."
Biden's speech was briefly interrupted by two pro-Palestine protesters. In response, he paused to advocate for an end to the violence in Gaza.
CNN’s Arlette Saenz contributed to this report.
The ongoing discourse about these atrocities has significant implications in the realm of politics. It's crucial for policymakers to address the historical trauma and work towards healing and reparations.
Moreover, the politics surrounding this issue require sensitivity and understanding, considering the deep-seated pain and resentment felt by Native American communities.
