Politicans

During a dozen public listening sessions over the past several years hosted by the Interior Department, survivors of the schools recalled being beaten, forced to cut their hair and punished for using their native languages.

The forced assimilation policy officially ended with the enactment of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. But the government never fully investigated the boarding school system until the Biden administration.

Biden in October apologized on behalf of the U.S. government for the schools and the policies that supported them…

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, whose grandparents were taken to boarding schools against their families’ will, said no single action would adequately address the harms caused by the schools. But she said the administration’s efforts have made a difference and the new monument would allow the American people to learn more about the government’s harmful policies.

“This trauma is not new to Indigenous people, but it is new for many people in our nation,” Haaland said in a statement…

The stories of federal Indian boarding school survivors are living history that must be preserved. Today, I announced new agreements and funding commitments to preserve these survivor stories and experiences and share them with the world. https://t.co/Xq9WGkaDXS

— Secretary Deb Haaland (@SecDebHaaland) December 9, 2024

Today, we released our 10-Year National Plan on Native Language Revitalization. Our languages embody our indigeneity and our connection to the world around us. Together, we are charting a path forward to restore what assimilation attempted to steal. https://t.co/E4xi8TmxE2

— Secretary Deb Haaland (@SecDebHaaland) December 9, 2024

Important, and exciting:

At the 2024 White House Tribal Nations Summit today, Departments of the Interior, Education and Health and Human Services (HHS) released a 10-year National Plan on Native Language Revitalization, which outlines a comprehensive, government-wide strategy to support the revitalization, protection, preservation and reclamation of Native languages. The plan, a joint effort of the agencies, charts a path to help address the United States government’s role in the loss of Native languages across the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaiʻi…

“Indigenous languages are central to our cultures, our life ways, and who we are as people. They connect us to our ancestors, to our homelands, and to our place in the world,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “This ambitious plan represents the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to address the wrongs of the past and restore what has been taken from us.”

“I always say: multilingualism is a superpower—and that includes Native American languages. During my time as Secretary of Education, I’ve been fortunate to travel through Indian Country and learn beautiful words in Oneida, Dakota, and Nakota languages. One thing was crystal clear: when young people reclaim their native languages, they reconnect deeply with who they are and where they come from,” said Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “But Native peoples have suffered from shameful policies that aimed to eradicate these languages and cultures for too long. I am hopeful that this national plan is a start to the federal government’s remediation of its participation in those policies. And I am hopeful we can all choose to keep fighting for a future where Native communities have the tools and support to keep their languages alive and their cultures thriving.”

“We use language to write history, share knowledge, map the future, and pass down traditions,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. “Investing in language revitalization strengthens communities and contributes to their resiliency. HHS is a proud and critical contributor to this coordinated effort and the benefits it will deliver.” …

Additionally, today the Interior Department is announcing a cooperative agreement with the National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education. This partnership will provide $7.5 million in existing grant funding to BIE schools supporting the launch or expansion of immersion programs and create a network of educators and school leaders committed to Native language revitalization. This funding will help build a network of BIE schools committed to integrating Native language immersion and cultural education into their curricula, offering students the tools to connect with their language and heritage. Together with the National Plan for Native Language Revitalization, these efforts create a comprehensive strategy to protect, preserve and reclaim Indigenous languages across the United States…

President Biden at the White House Tribal Nations Summit:

"We don't erase history. We acknowledge it, we learn from it, and we remember so we never repeat it again."

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/THVngUTofJ

— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) December 10, 2024

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland gets emotional giving President Biden a tribal blanket at the White House Tribal Nations Summit.

Same.

I'm gonna miss him. pic.twitter.com/wbUEHoDNPc

— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) December 10, 2024