Kevin Gover, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, made at the Ceremony Acknowledging the 175th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Bureau of Indian Affairs on September 8, 2000 were long since overdue. In his statements, Gover admitted to the BIA's harsh mistreatment of Native Americans over the past one hundred seventy-five years. This public apology was one that had been necessary long since it was made. However, the fact that it was made gives hope that reparations can be made to the injustices committed to the Native American people throughout the years. It may not erase all that has happened, but the BIA's acknowledgement of the problems is a starting point in making sure history doesn't repeat itself.

In his speech, Gover made note of the Dawes Severalty Act, passed in 1887. This act was just one in a long line of examples of the...
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