Throughout its history, the United States has faced moments of injustice that have caused harm to individuals and entire communities. While these events cannot be changed, the U.S. government has sometimes issued formal apologies to acknowledge past wrongs and help foster healing and reconciliation. These apologies are potent reminders of the nation’s commitment to accountability and progress.
1. Japanese American Internment (1988)
In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act, which formally apologized for the internment of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. The apology recognized that this internment was motivated by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership. Survivors received reparations as part of the government’s effort to make amends.
2. Tuskegee Syphilis Study (1997)
In 1997, President Bill Clinton formally apologized for the unethical Tuskegee Syphilis Study. From 1932 to 1972, 399 African American men were misled and denied treatment for syphilis so that researchers could study the disease’s progression. The apology acknowledged the profound harm caused by this study and emphasized the government’s commitment to ethical medical practices.
3. Apology for Slavery (2008)
In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution apologizing for slavery and the Jim Crow laws. The resolution recognized the government’s role in perpetuating these injustices and expressed regret for the suffering and discrimination that African Americans have faced throughout history.
4. Native American Boarding Schools (2024)
In 2024, President Joe Biden issued an apology for the treatment of Native American children in boarding schools. The apology acknowledged the physical, emotional, and cultural abuses suffered by children who were forcibly taken from their families and communities as part of assimilation policies.
5. The Guatemalan Civil War (1999)
In 1999, President Bill Clinton issued an apology for the United States’ support of brutal regimes during Guatemala’s civil war. The U.S. had backed military forces that were responsible for human rights abuses and the deaths of thousands of people. This apology recognized the harm caused by these policies.
6. Chinese Exclusion Act (2012)
In 2012, Congress formally apologized for the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. This act severely limited Chinese immigration and demonstrated widespread racial discrimination. The apology recognized the profound impact the act had on Chinese American communities.
7. The Indian Removal Act (1830)
Although the U.S. government has not issued a formal apology, President Obama signed the Native American Apology Resolution in 2009, expressing regret for historical injustices against Native peoples.
8. Apology for the Treatment of Native Hawaiians (1993)
In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Apology Resolution on the 100th anniversary of Hawaii’s overthrow. This resolution acknowledged the U.S. role in the 1893 overthrow of Hawaii’s monarchy and the annexation that occurred in 1898. Although it did not include reparations, the resolution recognized the injustices faced by Native Hawaiians and inspired efforts aimed at cultural preservation and sovereignty.
9. Treatment of LGBTQ+ Individuals (2016)
In 2016, President Barack Obama issued an apology for the government’s past discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals. This apology addressed injustices in federal employment and military service, including policies like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which marginalized LGBTQ+ people for decades.
Sources:
Five Times the United States Officially Apologized
Biden apologizes for Indian boarding schools ‘blot on history’
Clinton Apology to Guatemala
