The Biden administration has said that it will rename five locations in the United States that formerly contained a racist epithet for a Native American woman. In a release, the Department of the Interior announced the Board on Geographic Names (BGN) has voted to rename five places that previously included the racist term sq***."
The US Department of the Interior revealed its decision in September about proposals to rename over 650 locations that included the racist word. The department conducted an additional review of seven locations, all of which were considered unincorporated populated places. Five of those were changed in Thursday's announcement.
The five renamed locations are spread between the states of Texas, North Dakota, Tennessee, and California.
"Words matter, particularly in our work to ensure our nation's public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds," said Interior 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 finalise the removal of this harmful word. Together, we are showing why representation matters and charting a path for an inclusive America."
Deb Haaland, who assumed her position in 2021, is the first Native American to head a Cabinet agency. She had established a 13-member task force to rename 650 sites that contain the racist term.
The release by the department further says that the list of all new names will be updated on the US Geological Survey website to reflect the vote, along with a map of locations. While the new names are immediately effective for federal use, the public may continue to propose name changes for any features through the regular BGN process.
