DENVER, Colo., Oct. 25, 2024 (Globe Newswire) — President Biden on Oct. 25 will send more than 60,000 American Indian and Alaska Native children to a 150-year-old Indian boarding school in Arizona. The U.S. government formally apologized for its role in forced admission. A period in which nearly 1,000 students died. This federal policy stripped Native American children of their language and culture and forced them to assimilate into white society.
Cheryl Crazy Bull, president and CEO of the American Indian College Foundation, said in an apology:
Federal policy had the goal of complete assimilation of Native Americans. This assimilation forced Western customs, such as separating children from their families, banning the use of indigenous languages, and insisting that children and young people abandon their spiritual path to become Christians. This was to be achieved by incorporating During this period, over several generations, many children suffered physical abuse, sexual assault, malnutrition, and abuse. This summer, the Interior Department called on the U.S. government to formally apologize for the lasting trauma inflicted on Native Americans. The trauma of those experiences reverberates across India today.
However, this dark period in American history is little known outside of Native America. I hope that President Biden’s apology will not only raise awareness of the true history of indigenous peoples in our country, but will also be a step toward national reconciliation and healing.
We join tribes, Indigenous organizations, Indigenous relatives and allies in calling for restorative action. Today we call for significant federal and philanthropic investment in restorative and healing approaches and systems to repair the damage caused by the residential school era. The Indigenous people we support, from our youngest children to college students, deserve that investment. The tribal university movement, born more than 50 years ago to support place-based, Indigenous-led, and tribally-managed education, is worth the investment.
We also thank Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo Laguna tribe in New Mexico whose grandparents and great-grandfather were removed from their homes and sent to boarding school. Under her leadership, the residential school investigation began three years ago, marking the first time the U.S. government has scrutinized the schools and listened to the stories of residential school survivors and their descendants. Secretary Haaland’s leadership was critical to the formal apology that American Indians and Alaska Natives receive today. ”
About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund is the nation’s largest philanthropic organization supporting Native higher education for 35 years. The College Fund believes that “education is the answer,” and from 2023 to 2024, the College Fund will invest in scholarships and other direct student assistance for higher education steeped in Native American culture and values. provided to Indigenous students. Since its founding in 1989, the University Endowment has provided more than $349 million in scholarships, programs, and community and tribal university support. The University Fund also supports a variety of programs at the nation’s 34 accredited tribal universities located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring that students are provided with the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives the highest ratings from independent charity evaluators. We have a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Gold Seal of Transparency from Guidestar, and a “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named one of the Top 100 Charities in America by the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.
Journalists — American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. For the second reference, use the University Fund.
Cheryl Crazy Bull Native American Boarding School
