Gov. Hochul apologizes to Seneca Nation for past boarding school abuse

CATTARAUGUS TERRITORY, IRVING, N.Y. – Gov. Kathy Hochul visited the Seneca Nation’s Cattaraugus Territory to apologize for New York State’s involvement in the operation of the Thomas Indian School on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s apology by Governor Hochul is the most recent action to atone for impacted Indigenous children of the Thomas Indian School. Last week, the New York State Senate unanimously passed a resolution that officially acknowledged the state’s role in the school.

The public apology came after Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca and Governor Hochul met with Thomas Indian School alumni, survivors and family members.

The Thomas Indian School was owned and operated by New York State from 1875 until 1957. Thousands of children from Native nations were separated from their families and forced to attend this and other boarding schools across the U.S. and Canada.

The state says the children were stripped of their traditional language and culture and suffered abuse and sometimes death at the hands of school officials.

“Welcoming the Governor to our territory, having her meet directly with Thomas Indian School survivors, hearing her apologize on behalf of the State of New York, hearing the New York State Senate’s resolution read on the Senate floor – these are all significant and emotional moments. You can feel a weight being lifted from your chest,” added President Seneca, whose father attended Thomas Indian School. “The pain will always be there but recognizing our history and what happened here strengthens our resolve to make sure that nothing like this will ever happen to Native people again.”

In-Depth: Native American Boarding Schools

Native American boarding schools were widespread across the U.S. in the 1800s. The state explains Native American families who couldn’t care for their children due to poverty and abuse often surrendered them to boarding schools.

More than 400 government-supported schools were established throughout the country with the goal of assimilating Native American children.

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