Biden administration renames five locations over offensive term for Native American women
Misty Severi
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The Department of the Interior announced the renaming of five locations across four states on Thursday, that used an offensive term for Native American women.
The Board on Geographic Names voted to remove the term “squaw,” which is considered a racist term for Native American women, from the five locations in California, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas. The board also voted on two other locations but rejected the renaming.
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“Words matter, particularly in our work to ensure our nation’s public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a news release. “I am grateful to the members of the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force and the Board on Geographic Names for their efforts to finalize the removal of this harmful word. Together, we are showing why representation matters and charting a path for an inclusive America.”
Haaland is Native American, and is the first Native American to serve in a Cabinet position.
The place in North Dakota has been renamed to Homesteaders Gap, as a nod to its local history. In California, the two places were renamed Loybas Hill, which translates to “Young Lady,” and Yokuts Valley, which translates to “people.”
Tennessee’s location was renamed Partridgeberry, which refers to a type of berry in the community, and in Texas, the location has been named “Lynn’s Creek” in honor of a local who lived near the creek, according to the release.
The new names will be updated on the United States Geological Survey website, and have already gone into effect on the federal level.
The vote took place four months after the department voted to rename 650 locations because of its use of the offensive term, but the seven locations voted on Thursday were considered “unincorporated populated places,” and required an additional review.
Other administrations have renamed places in the past, with the government ordering the renaming of places with offensive terms for black people in 1962, and Japanese people in 1974.
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Other companies and corporations have also renamed things that offend certain groups. For example, the NFL’s Washington Commanders recently changed its name from the Washington Redskins. The Pentagon has also begun renaming bases that honored the Confederacy.