Native Americans from Central IL React to Federal Apology for Abusive Assimilation in Residential Schools

BRIMFIELD (25News now) – A local descendant of the Powhatan tribe calls the awareness of an investigation into the federal government “healing.”

On Friday, the president of the United States he finally apologized for federal policies that forcibly separated generations of Native children from their families and sent them to federally supported boarding schools for 150 years.

“I am formally sorry. This is long, long overdue,” said Pres. Joe Biden at a press conference in front of Native Americans in Arizona. “Frankly, there is no excuse why it took 50 years to issue an apology.”

The investigation identified more than 400 involved institutions in 37 states. She identified death of at least 973 people Children of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Hawaiians who attended boarding schools. Many of them have experienced physical, sexual and emotional violence.

Powhatan tribe descendant Waylon McCamy said the story was swept under the rug and ignored.

“People knew this was happening, but they didn’t step up and say it was wrong,” McCamy said. “People who survived these (schools) told me stories about how when they spoke their language, the teacher heard it and they were chained to the radiator. For several days they were forced to eat only bread and water.

There were two boarding schools in Illinois – one in Des Plaines and the other at the old Jubilee College in Brimfield, which closed in 1862.

The building was then named Homewood Boarding School, and it was reported that 12 Native American children were forced to assimilate there.

“It’s good that a sitting president actually came out and apologized,” McCamy said. “It’s a bit like an open wound that never healed, and at least it will now. The scar will always remain, but at least the healing process has started.

McCamy is president Seven Rings Heritage Center in Edwards. It is a place where Native people hold ceremonies and powwows, and also serves as a church for various tribes.

McCamy said they also educate the public about issues people may not have heard about and ensure their tribes’ history is never forgotten.

“I hope people understand that these things happen. We’ve come a long way since then, but we have to admit that it happened.

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