Standing beneath the foothills of the Estrella Mountains near the Gila River Indian Community, President Joe Biden delivered an impassioned, first-ever apology to survivors of Indian boarding schools today, calling the years between 1819 and 1969 shameful and “one of the most horrific chapters in American history.”
Surrounded by Native American tribal leaders in Arizona, the 46th U.S. president appeared visibly emotional as he belted out his main message to the assembled:
“I formally apologize!” Biden said, slamming his fist on the podium. “It’s long, long, long overdue.”
Referring to the end of the boarding school era, he added: “Quite frankly, there’s no excuse that this apology took 50 years to make.”