SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California Governor Gavin Newsom is issuing a formal apology for violence, mistreatment and neglect inflicted on Native Americans throughout the state’s history.
Newsom is making the apology Tuesday to tribal leaders from around California. He’s also announcing the creation of a Truth and Healing Council to examine the state government’s role in campaigns of extermination and exploitation.
Newsom says that the state cannot undo wrongs, but that California can tell the truth about its past and begin to heal deep wounds.
Like other Western states, California has been grappling with the legacy of Spanish colonialism and the United States government’s policies toward indigenous people.
The U.S. Census says California has the largest proportion of American Indians in the country.
