Piestewa Peak in Phoenix was called Squaw Peak until a state panel in Arizona renamed it in 2003 to honor Lori Piestewa, for her service in Iraq as the first Native American woman to die in combat while serving in the American military. The Interior Department is looking to rename 660 federal sites that use the offensive term.
WASHINGTON, D.C-The Department of the Interior recently announced that the Board on Geographic Names (BGN) has voted on the final replacement names for nearly 650 geographic areas featuring the word "squaw." The government is renaming hundreds of peaks, lakes, streams and other geographical features on federal lands in the West and elsewhere.
The word "squaw" originated in the Algonquin language and experts say it probably once simply meant "woman." But over time, the word has morphed into often being a misogynist and racist term to disparage indigenous women.
"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," said Secretary Deb Haaland. "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."
The list of new names can be found on the U.S. Geological Survey website with a map of locations. All but 10 states appear to have at least one geographic feature on federal land or waterways that contains the slur, according to an interactive map maintained by the federal government.
This is not the first time the department ordered the renaming of places carrying a derogatory term. In 1962 names disparing to Black people were changed, and in 1974 sites were renamed that included derogatory terms for Japanese people.
The final vote reflects a months-long effort by the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force established by Secretary's Order 3404, which included representatives from the Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, National Park Service, Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and the U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of Agriculture's U.S. Forest Service.
During the public comment period, the Task Force received more than 1,000 recommendations for name changes. Nearly 70 Tribal governments participated in nation-to-nation consultation, which yielded another several hundred recommendations. While the new names are immediately effective for federal use, the public may continue to propose name changes for any features-including those announced today-through the regular BGN process.
The renaming effort included several complexities: evaluation of 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 proponents. In all cases, the Task Force carefully evaluated every comment and proposal.
In July, the Department announced an additional review by the BGN for seven locations that are considered unincorporated populated places. Noting that there are unique concerns with renaming these sites, the BGN will seek out additional review from the local communities and stakeholders before making a final determination.
Secretary's Order 3404 and the Task Force considered only the derogatory term in its scope. Secretary's Order 3405 created a Federal Advisory Committee for the 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 changes apply to federal lands at this point. However, some states are also looking at applying name changes to non-federal lands. In California, the state assembly has received a bill proposing the name change of more than 100 places in the states. Several states, such as Oregon, Maine, and Montana have passed laws mandating the erasure of the slur from nonfederal sites. Some private companies owning venues with the word have also changed their names, but none, at this stage, are required to do so.
