Phoenix, Arizona: In a historic gesture, U.S. President Joe Biden formally apologized on Friday for the U.S. government’s role in operating boarding schools that forcibly assimilated Native American children for over 150 years. Speaking at the Gila Crossing Community School during his first visit to Indian Country as President, Biden acknowledged the immense suffering caused by these institutions, calling it “one of the most horrific chapters in American history.”
“For far too long, the federal government failed to apologize for what it did. Today, I formally apologize, as President of the United States, for the trauma and pain we caused,” Biden said, underscoring that the apology was “long overdue.”
From the early 1800s until the late 1960s, hundreds of boarding schools were established to strip Native American children of their tribal identity by removing them from their families, suppressing their languages, and forcing them to adopt Christian practices. Many children were given new names and punished for speaking their native tongue, while others endured physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, according to reports by The New York Times.
A recent report from the U.S. Interior Department revealed that approximately 19,000 children attended these schools between 1819 and 1969, though many more are believed to have been affected. Shockingly, at least 973 children died in these schools, with burial sites for some remaining unmarked.
Congress funded the schools through land sales and annual appropriations, hiring religious organizations—such as Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, and Congregationalist associations—to manage them. In some cases, families who resisted sending their children to these institutions had food rations withheld by federal authorities.
Survivors of these schools, now in their late 60s to 80s, have described their experiences as “pure hell.” Ron Singer, one survivor, recalled, “It was like a prison setting. I can still feel the hurt.” Another, Denise Lajimodiere, noted, “They took us away from our homes, our families, and our spirituality, trying to make us conform to white ways.”
Biden’s apology aims to honor the resilience of Native communities and address the intergenerational trauma inflicted by these institutions. However, many survivors and advocates are calling for further actions, including reparations and national reconciliation efforts.
