Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
London views possibility of setting fire to tanker in port of friendly country to Russia to damage port infrastructure, initiate an international probe: Moscow
One of London's scenarios involves setting up accident with 'undesirable' tanker in one of the bottlenecks of maritime communications: Russian foreign intelligence agency
London plans to organize major sabotage with tankers to declare transportation of Russian oil to international shipping: Russian foreign intelligence agency
UK intelligence agencies plan to use NATO allies to launch massive raid on 'Shadow Fleet': Russian foreign intelligence agency
Palestinian Ministry of Health: Two were martyred in Israeli shelling that targeted a besieged house in the town of Qabatiya in Jenin
At least 68 dead in migrant shipwreck off Yemen: IOM
Trump: We want to feed the people in Gaza, we do not want them to starve.
US President Donald Trump: We will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not end the war on Ukraine.
Israeli media: Polls show that 52% oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while only 29% support him.
Israeli media: 32% of Americans still support "Israel's" war on Hamas, while 60% oppose it.

Biden apologizes for Native American boarding school atrocities

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 25 Oct 2024 23:07
3 Min Read

US President Joe Biden issued an apology to Native Americans for atrocities that took place at US government-run boarding schools.

Listen
  • x
  • President Joe Biden speaks at the Gila Crossing Community School in the Gila River Indian Community reservation in Laveen, Ariz., on October 25, 2024. (AP)
    President Joe Biden speaks at the Gila Crossing Community School in the Gila River Indian Community reservation in Laveen, Ariz., on October 25, 2024. (AP)

US President Joe Biden issued a historic apology on Friday for one of the nation’s "most horrific chapters": the abduction of Native American children from their families and their placement in government-run boarding schools aimed at erasing their cultural identities.

From the early 1800s to the 1970s, the United States ran hundreds of Indian boarding schools across the country, aiming to forcibly assimilate Native children into European settler culture, including attempts to convert them to Christianity.

A recent government report revealed alarming instances of physical, mental, and sexual abuse, alongside the deaths of nearly a thousand children.

In a speech at the Gila River Indian Community in Laveen Village, Biden said "I formally apologize, as president of the United States of America, for what we did."

He described the approximately 150 years during which the school system operated as one of the "most horrific chapters in American history" and labeled it a "sin on our soul."

Related News

Putin open to meeting Zelensky pending expert-level talks: Peskov

Pro-'Israel' Democrats breaking with Netanyahu amid Gaza war

"I know no apology can or will make up for what was lost during the darkness of the federal boarding school policy," he continued.

"Today, we're finally moving forward into the light."

More than 973 children killed in US boarding schools

At least 973 Native American children died under the US government's abusive boarding school system, an investigation commissioned by US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland by officials revealed on July 31, as they urged the government to issue a formal apology for the schools.

The probe found marked and unmarked graves at 65 of the over 400  US Native American boarding schools where children of the minority group were forcibly assimilated into white society. Although the investigation did not disclose descriptions of each child's death, officials said the causes of death included sickness and abuse that lasted for 150 years, ending in 1969. In addition, children may have also passed away at home after contracting illnesses at the boarding school.

"The federal government took deliberate and strategic action through boarding school policies to isolate children from their families, deny them their identities, and steal from them the languages, cultures and connections that are foundational to Native people," Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary and Laguna Pueblo tribe member, told reporters on Tuesday, adding the system was established "to eradicate the, quote, ‘Indian problem,’ to either assimilate or destroy native peoples altogether."

Last year in August, the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition uncovered 115 more institutions than the previous 408 federally recognized ones, increasing the total number of schools that forced Native American children to assimilate into White culture in the United States to 523.

  • Joe Biden
  • United States
  • Native Americans

Most Read

A rescued crew member from the ETERNITY C vessel in a video released by the Yemeni Armed Forces on July 28, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen Navy reveals fate of targeted Eternity C ship crew

  • Politics
  • 28 Jul 2025
An Israeli tank explodes following an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza, Occupied Palestine, undated (Al-Qassam Military Media)

Al-Qassam strikes Israeli vehicles in Gaza, inflicts casualties

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025
UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

  • Politics
  • 1 Aug 2025
Protesters chant anti-Israeli slogans as they carry a banner that reads:" Freedom for Palestine, Alliance stop the war," during a demonstration in support of Palestinians in Gaza, outside the Israeli embassy, in Athens, Monday, June 9, 2025 (AP)

Athens mayor slams Israeli ambassador over Gaza war, graffiti claim

  • Politics
  • 3 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, takes part in a parade as he celebrates a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, January 19, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Al-Qassam: We’ll allow aid to Israeli captives if Gaza siege ends

Freed Lebanese freedom fighter Georges Abdallah during an interview on Al Mayadeen, which aired on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)
Politics

Exclusive: Resistance key to building state, Georges Abdallah says

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a statement about the situation in Gaza at UN headquarters, Friday, June 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN warns Gaza faces water crisis, looming famine under Israeli siege

Israeli soldiers drive their armored personnel carrier along the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ex-Israeli general says Gaza starvation campaign isolated 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS