ABSTRACT

Cultural genocide was a key element of Raphael Lemkin’s conception of the crime of genocide. Despite being included in the first two formal drafts of the Genocide Convention, cultural genocide was excluded from the text adopted by the General Assembly on December 9, 1948. While negotiating the terms of the Genocide Convention, the US played a key role in excluding cultural genocide. Significantly, prior to, during, and subsequent to the treaty’s adoption and entry into force, the US enforced policies that contained elements of cultural genocide.