A new law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday, mandates that public schools teach about Spanish colonization and the California Gold Rush also include lessons on the mistreatment and contributions of Native Americans during those eras.
Johnny Hernandez Jr., vice chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in Southern California, recalls the challenge of growing up in San Bernardino and hearing conflicting narratives about the history of Indigenous peoples in the state.
Under the law, the California Department of Education will work in consultation with tribes when updating its history and social studies curriculum framework after January 1, 2025.
The bill was signed on California Native American Day, a holiday established in the 1990s to recognize the culture and history of Indigenous peoples in the state. California, home to 109 federally recognized tribes, has the second-highest number of Indigenous tribes in the country, following Alaska.