The Interior Department announced that the Board on Geographic Names voted on the final replacement names for nearly 650 geographic features which bear the offensive word ‘squaw’. 26 of the locations are specifically located in Alaska. They included streams, summits, lakes, channels, valleys, capes, bays, pillars, and rapids that bear the specific word in question. The final vote completes the final step in efforts to remove a term from federal use that is seen as an offensive ethnic, racial, and sexist slur, particularly for Indigenous women.
Secretary Deb Haaland:
“I feel a deep obligation to use my platform to ensure that our public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming. That starts with removing racist and derogatory names that have graced federal locations for far too long. I am grateful to the members of the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force and the Board on Geographic Names for their efforts to prioritize this important work. Together, we are showing why representation matters and charting a path for an inclusive America.”
During a public comment period, the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force received more than 1,000 recommendations for name changes. Nearly 70 Tribal governments participated in nation-to-nation consultation, which produced several hundred recommendations. While the new names are immediately effective for federal use, the public may continue to propose name changes for any features through the regular Board on Geographic Names process.
The renaming effort included several complexities, which included evaluating multiple public or Tribal recommendations for the same feature; features that cross Tribal, federal, and state jurisdictions; inconsistent spelling of certain Native language names; and reconciling diverse opinions from various supporters.
In July, the Department announced an additional review by the Board for seven locations that are considered unincorporated populated places. Noting that there are unique concerns with renaming these sites. There will be additional reviews from the local communities and stakeholders before making a final determination.
Secretary Haaland’s Order 3405 created a Federal Advisory Committee for the Interior Department to formally receive advice from the public regarding additional derogatory terms, derogatory terms on federal land units, and the process for derogatory name reconciliation. The committee will announce their next steps on the status of the committee in the coming weeks.
The list of new names can be found on the U.S. Geological Survey website with a map of locations.
NOTE: Photo credits courtesy of the Deb Haaland social media page.
