Secretarial Order 3404
| Declaring "Squaw" a Derogatory Term and Implementing Procedures to Remove the Term from Federal Usage | |
| Type | Secretarial order |
|---|---|
| Number | 3404 |
| Secretary of the Interior | Deb Haaland |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Date | November 19, 2021 |
Secretarial Order 3404 was an order given by then United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to order that the name squaw, which is a derogatory term towards Native American women, be removed from federal usage, especially by the Board on Geographic Names. It also ordered the creation of the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force.
Background
The word squaw is a term that has been used as a derogatory term towards Native American women since the 17th century. The term was used to name a number of places and as of 2021, there were over 650 places on the GNIS with the word "squaw" in their name.[1]
Provisions
The order calls for place names containing the word "squaw" to be reviewed by the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force. This is made up of representatives from federal land agencies and DEI experts from the Department of the Interior.[1][2] By order, the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force must have been established by December 19, 2021.[3]
Aftermath
On September 8, 2022, the Department of the Interior announced that the process had been complete. After consultation with over 70 tribes and after 650 names were changed, Secretary Haaland noted in "I feel a deep obligation to use my platform to ensure that our public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming."[4]
References
- ^ a b Chappell, Bill (November 19, 2021). "Interior Secretary Deb Haaland moves to ban the word 'squaw' from federal lands". NPR. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ "Secretary Haaland Takes Action to Remove Derogatory Names from Federal Lands". U.S. Department of the Interior. November 19, 2021. Archived from the original on January 18, 2025. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ Stebbins, Laina G. (December 1, 2021). "Haaland to remove racist terms from federal lands, including 31 in Michigan • Michigan Advance". Michigan Advance. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ "U.S. completes renaming of 650 places to remove derogatory term". Reuters. September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2025.