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President Biden to Apologize in Arizona for 150-Year Indian Boarding School Policy

Oct 24, 2024, 07:01 PM

President Joe Biden is set to issue a rare presidential apology for the U.S. government's role in the Indian boarding school system, which spanned 150 years and caused significant harm to Indigenous children and their families. The formal apology will be delivered in a speech at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona on Friday, during his Arizona stop. This marks Biden's first diplomatic visit to a tribal nation as president. The Indian boarding school policy, supported by the federal government in the 19th and early 20th centuries, forced Indigenous children into abusive environments, resulting in nearly 1,000 deaths and devastating the lives of generations of Native Americans. Biden will address the atrocities committed under the 150-year policy.