Interior secretary announces expansion of historical site to honor Native American victims of massacre

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is expanding a historical site dedicated to the 200 Native Americans who were massacred by U.S. troops. The site is located in Colorado.

The move marks the latest step taken by Haaland to act on issues important to Native Americans in her role as Interior Secretary. Haaland's "Tribal Homelands Initiative" supports fundraising to buy land and requires federal managers to seek out Indigenous knowledge about resources.

Haaland’s selection to lead the federal agency that has wielded influence over the nation’s tribes for nearly two centuries was hailed as historic by Democrats and tribal groups who said it meant that Indigenous people — who lived in North America before the United States was created — would for the first time see a Native American lead the powerful department where decisions on relations with the nearly 600 federally recognized tribes are made.