Kathy Hochul apologizes for Native American boarding schools
new York Governor Kathy Hochul has issued a formal apology to the Seneca Nation for the treatment of Native americans at the Thomas Indian School, marking the first apology from a sitting governor regarding this issue.During her visit to Irving, New York, near the school’s location, Hochul acknowledged the “historical atrocities” and the lasting impact on the affected communities. A framed document of the apology was presented to Seneca President J. Conrad Seneca, who expressed how the school shattered children’s lives and perpetuated a legacy of abuse and hatred across generations.
The Thomas Indian School operated from 1855 until its closure in 1957, under both missionary and state management, affecting approximately 2,500 students. The state has previously recognized its involvement in running the school,following Hochul’s establishment of a role focused on Indigenous affairs. The Seneca Nation, which has contributed significantly to political campaigns, remains an important constituency as Hochul seeks reelection.
Kathy Hochul apologizes for New York’s role in Native American boarding schools
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) issued the first formal apology from a sitting governor to the Seneca Nation for a boarding school’s treatment of Native Americans.
Hochul was in Irving, New York, near the site of the Thomas Indian School, over two months after she was claimed, the tribal nation asked her to visit. While there she apologized for the “historical atrocities committed” there “and the enduring trauma.”
This apology was printed out into a framed document that Hochul presented to Seneca President J. Conrad Seneca. Notably, Seneca’s own father was a Thomas Indian School student and his grandmother attended a similar boarding school in Pennsylvania at the age of 11.
“I want this forever enshrined, visible to the rest of the state that this day occurred and I will say long overdue,” Hochul said. “Other governors should have preceded me.”
“Children’s lives were shattered. They were made to feel like they were unworthy because of who they were, how they looked and the language they spoke. Abuse and hatred were the lasting lessons,” Seneca said. “That abuse and hatred was carried forward by those who survived and was passed on to their children and families for generations.”
The Thomas Indian School was established in 1855 by Presbyterian missionaries until New York took ownership in 1875. It wasn’t until 1957, after hosting some 2,500 alumni, that the school closed for good.
The New York State Senate previously offered the tribal nation a resolution acknowledging the state’s participation in operating the school. This followed Hochul’s newly created role of First Deputy Secretary for Indigenous Nations, which went to Elizabeth Rule. Hochul also returned 1,000 acres to the Onondaga Nation last year.
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Half of the Seneca Nation lives outside the Cattaraugus Territory, where the school and the William Seneca Administration Building remain. Its population consists of 8,000 descendants.
Hochul is in the middle of a reelection campaign. The Seneca Nation donated over $100,000 in political contributions to both Republican and Democratic efforts. While the tribal nation contributed to Rep. Timothy Kennedy’s (D-NY) campaign last year, it has yet to donate to Hochul according to Open Secrets.
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