President Biden this week invoked the Antiquities Act to designate Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument in Pennsylvania. The monument recognizes one of the darkest chapters in American history — the forced separation of Indigenous children from their families and government oppression of Native American languages and cultures.
The Center for Western Priorities released the following statement from Executive Director Jennifer Rokala:
“Thank you, President Biden, for designating this national monument and acknowledging the harm caused by Indian boarding schools for more than 150 years. Respecting Tribal sovereignty means listening to Tribal nations.
“In the final weeks of his administration, President Biden has the opportunity to leave a legacy as one of the great conservation presidents in American history. Tribally-led proposals to protect public lands across the West are awaiting his signature.”
This past weekend, hundreds of people attended a public meeting to support the Pit River Nation’s proposed Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California.
In California’s Eastern Coachella Valley, a coalition of numerous Tribal nations are asking the President to designate Chuckwalla National Monument.
If President Biden uses his authority under the Antiquities Act to protect these landscapes, he will set a record for protecting the most acres of any first-term President in recent history.