CHIEF BARNES ISSUES RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S APOLOGY FOR INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS

Oct 25, 2024

CHIEF BARNES ISSUES RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT BIDEN’S APOLOGY FOR INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS

GILA RIVER, Ariz.—Chief Ben Barnes attended today’s event on the reservation of the Gila River Indian Community, where President Joe Biden delivered a historic speech and a formal presidential apology for 150 years of federal Indian boarding school policies which he called “a shame” and “a blot on American history.”

“I’m delighted that President Biden’s apology today has shed an unprecedented light on the evils perpetuated by the United States in Indian boarding schools and elevated the visibility of tribal nations and our fight to find justice for boarding school survivors and descendants,” Barnes says. “However, I am incredibly disappointed President Biden did not utilize this once-in-a-lifetime occasion to announce any meaningful new action that will bring us closer to those goals.”

Biden’s visit to Gila River is the first presidential visit to a tribal reservation in over ten years.

“As President Biden said today, there’s no excuse for how long overdue this apology is,” Barnes continues. “While his administration can tout many recent successes in advancing Native causes, even the most heartfelt apology can be outright dangerous to our communities if it comes without sustained, meaningful actions to rectify the initial harms caused. In the case of Indian boarding schools, we’re talking about genocidal harms.”

The U.S. Truth and Healing Commission Bill (S.1723/H.R. 7227) currently has bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress. If ratified, it would establish a federal commission to investigate and reconcile the full extent of Indian boarding schools in the U.S.

“Until the U.S. Truth and Healing Commission Bill is passed,” Barnes concludes, “and until American education systems tell the full history of this chapter in our shared history, we will still have a very long fight for justice ahead of us.”

###

Contact: media@shawnee-tribe-com

Back

Jan 17, 2025

CHIEF BENJAMIN BARNES COMMENDS FEDERAL ADVANCEMENTS IN STRENGTHENING THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ('UNDRIP')

MIAMI, OK — Chief Benjamin Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe is commending recent federal efforts to advance the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Adopted in 2007, UNDRIP outlines the rights of Indigenous peoples worldwide, and the United States joined 192 other United Nations member states in 2014 in committing to […]

Jan 2, 2025

RECYCLING SPOTLIGHT: PLASTICS BY THE NUMBERS

Check out recycling plastics by their numbers from the tribe’s Environmental Resources Department!

Jan 2, 2025

BEHAVIORAL & MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT BRINGS AWEARENESS TO STALKING

Stalking is a pattern of repeated, unwanted, and intrusive behavior aimed at controlling or intimidating another person. It can involve a range of actions, from following the victim in person or online to sending excessive texts, emails, or gifts. Stalking is often driven by a desire for power or control and can occur between people […]

More News

Jan 17, 2025

CHIEF BENJAMIN BARNES COMMENDS FEDERAL ADVANCEMENTS IN STRENGTHENING THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ('UNDRIP')

Jan 2, 2025

RECYCLING SPOTLIGHT: PLASTICS BY THE NUMBERS

Check out recycling plastics by their numbers from the tribe’s Environmental Resources Department!

Jan 2, 2025

BEHAVIORAL & MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT BRINGS AWEARENESS TO STALKING

Dec 19, 2024

SHAWNEE TRIBE TAG OFFICE NOW AN AUTHORIZED PIKEPASS AGENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MIAMI, OK—The Shawnee Tribe Tag Office is now an authorized PIKEPASS agent. The most cost-effective way to travel Oklahoma’s turnpikes, PIKEPASS can also be used on toll roads in Texas and Kansas, as well as certain toll roads in Florida and Colorado. Since 2021, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) has been migrating […]

Dec 5, 2024

RECYCLING SPOTLIGHT: ALUMINUM

Check out these fun facts about recycling aluminum from the tribe’s Environmental Resources Department!

Dec 5, 2024

BEHAVIORAL & MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT BRINGS AWARENESS TO SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at specific times of the year, typically during the fall and winter months when daylight hours are shorter, occasionally referred to as the “winter blues”. It’s believed to be triggered by changes in sunlight exposure, which can disrupt the body’s natural rhythms, including the […]

Dec 5, 2024

SHAWNEE TRIBE'S GAMING COMMISSION RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY

Guymon, OK — On Thursday, November 7, Shawnee Tribe elected officials, gaming commissioners, and project managers of Global Gaming Solutions gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Shawnee Gaming Commission’s new administrative building. The move was prompted by the recent growth and specialized needs of the Gaming Commission office. Also in attendance were Guymon Ambassadors […]

Nov 12, 2024

THE POWER OF OPPORTUNITY: CITIZEN SERVICES IN ACTION

ONE CITIZEN’S JOURNEY THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND HOMEOWNERSHIP Shawnee tribal citizen Michael Cedrone lives in Texas, where he works as Head of Human Resources at GBC Food Services. Cedrone attributes his success to the tribe’s educational, career and housing support programs. His professional journey began at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, TX, […]

See All News