Official announcements from the White House or Department of Education

Biden Delivers First Formal Apology for Indian Boarding School Abuses

Oct 25, 2024, 06:04 PM

President Joe Biden issued a historic formal apology to Native Americans for the U.S. government's role in the Indian boarding school system during a visit to the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona. Joined by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary, Biden acknowledged the trauma inflicted on Indigenous communities, calling the era a 'blot on American history' and a 'sin on our soul.' He stated, 'I formally apologize as President of the United States for what we did.' The boarding schools, which operated for approximately 150 years until the 1960s, forcibly removed Indigenous children from their families, resulting in abuse and the deaths of over 950 children. This marks the first time a sitting U.S. president has formally apologized for the government's role in these policies. Biden emphasized the importance of addressing these past injustices to heal federal-tribal relations.