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Date & Time Thursday, April 22, 2021 @ 3:45pm
Location The Black Box @ The Alexander Bldg.
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Adjourn SGP Mascot Focus Group - 2021 , "
legislatures Consider Native "Themed" Mascot Bans
"Native Americans are Americans...we are not animals, we are not those who you make a mockery of, we are not those who are treated without dignity. This little bill just says we are going to heal, and honor and respect one another."
-- WA State Representative Debra Lekanoff (Tlingit, Aleut), sponsor of HB 1356
North High School ({KS) "Rdskns" On February 8, the Wichita Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to discontinue use of the "Rdskns" mascot at North High School. The 6-0 vote to retire comes after months of community discussion and follows the recommendations of a committee tasked with "looking into the mascot." The school expects to phase out its newly retired moniker within the next two years and will compete as "Wichita North" until a new mascot is installed.
Four More Schools Select New Mascots Carthage College (WI) did away with any Native American imagery associated with its "Red Men" and "Lady Reds" mascots years ago, but only recently retired the monikers. The College announced last week that it will now compete as the "Firebirds." Marion High School (IA), once the "Indians," will now compete as the "Mavericks." The new mascot, officially approved by the Marion Independent School District Board of Education last Monday, was selected through a community survey and is expected to be in place for the next school year. Saugatuck High School (MI), also once the "Indians," will now compete as the "Trailblazers." The decision was approved by the Saugatuck Public Schools Board of Education last Monday night, as "Trailblazers" beat out the two other finalists, "Lakers" and "Storm." Also approved last Monday nights, Weyauwega-Fremont High School (WI) will now compete as the "Warhawks." After retiring its "Indians" mascot last October, the Weyauwega-Fremont School District Board of Education conducted multiple community votes before "Warhawks" won out over three other finalists.
Legislative Update Several state legislatures across the country are considering legislation banning race-based mascots. In Washington, HB 1356 passed through the House with a bipartisan92-5yote last Tuesday and has now been referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee for consideration. If signed by Governor Jay Inslee, school districts would have time to phase out the old mascot, but would be required to select a new one to take effect by the end of the 2021-22 school year.
In Massachusetts, Sen. Jo Comerford refiled SD.417, a bill that would prohibit the use of Native American mascots at public schools in the state. A concurrent House bill, HD.646, was also introduced. If signed into law, the bill would require the state's school board to establish a deadline for schools in violation of the new regulations. "It is nearly impossible for Indigenous students to thrive and feel confident in their skin when their heritage is mocked and continuously stereotyped by their school mascot," said Shawna Newcomb (Mashpee Wampanoag), a teacher at Hanover Public Schools.
In Colorado, Sen. Jesse Danielson introduced SB 21-116, a bill that would ban the use of Native American mascots, giving schools in the state until June of 2022 to make the necessary changes or face monthly fines of $25,000. "It's long overdue," said Glenn Morris of the Colorado chapter of the American Indian Movement. "There's just no logical justification for them continuing it and ifs just a matter of privilege getting in the way of doing the right thing." The bill is now in the Senate Education Committee for consideration.
Ending "Indian" Mascots is an informational service provided by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), which is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities. It hos been leading Indian Country's movement to eradicate offensive "Indian" mascots from sports and popular culture for the post 50 years by educating schools, sports leagues, and the general public about the many harms they cause Native people. To learn more, please click here.
Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest. largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments. promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights.
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NCAt's "Retiring 'Indian' School Mascots: informing, Tracking, and Fueling a Growing National Movement" Breakout Session Now Available on ouTube
Held at NCAl's 77th Annual Convention in November 2020, this session provided an overview of the growing movement among K-12 schools across the country to retire offensive and harmful Native"themed" mascots, its connection to recent developments among professional sports teams, and how NCAI has been working to inform and guide this movement.
Session panelists shared about how these efforts have taken shape at the local, state, and national levels; the particular challenges of educating school communities about the impacts school mascots have on both Native and non-Native people; and effective strategies for constructive dialogue focused on why these mascots should be retired - and how.
NCAI also shared its recently unveiled national school mascot tracking database, and how it has been using the database to engage and inform local school communities about
1 Indian Country's longstanding opposition to harmful Native "themed" mascots, and the need to retire those mascots. Panelists included:
0 Maulian Dana, Ambassador, Penobscot Nation; º Suzan Shown Harjo, President, Morning Star Institute; " Dr. Aaron Payment, 1st Vice President, National Congress of American Indians;
0 Dr. Leslie Rasmussen, Member, Forest Hills School District Board of Education; and ,. Randy'L Teton, Public Affairs Manager, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes
To watch the session video, please click here.
To learn more about NCAl's school mascot tracking database, click here.
Ending "Indian" Mascots is an informational service provided by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), which is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities. It has been leading Indian Country's movement to eradicate offensive "Indian" mascots from sports and popular culture for the past 50 years by educating schools, sports leagues, and the general public about the many harms they cause Native people. To learn more, please click here.
Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights.
National Congress of American Indians, Embassy of Tribal Nations, 1516P Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
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2 TOP 10 REASONS WHY
1) Native names, images, or other words associated with Native People, and Native-inspired mascots do not honor Indigenous Peoples, their histories, or their culture. "Being your mascot is not an honor, nor does it honor the bravery of native people." '
2) Native American Mascots often perpetuate false and negative characterization of Indian people, reinforce stereotypes, and promote prejudice. It erases their identity and culture and forces them to conform to the dominant culture. Native American mascots can diminish American Indian peoples as primitive, savage, relics of the past, or a people vanquished, none of which is true." Furthermore, "what does it say about the values of the district, and how Native American students are treated."?
3) It does not create a safe environment for American Indian students physically, emotionally, and psychologically. (Bullying, discrimination, mocking, violence). "Native peoples remain more likely than any other race to experience crimes at the hands of a person from another race. Native youth experience the highest rates of suicide among young people." 3
4) Medical studies have shown there is psychological damage to American Indian people, especially American Indian children because of racist mascots. The negative psychological effects against American Indian students and "Indian mascots" contribute to the myth that Native peoples are an ethnic group "frozen in history".
5) The use of American Indian-based names, mascots, and logos in sports have a negative psychological effect on Native peoples and positive psychological consequences for European Americans.5
6) The rippling effect of the use of racist mascots emboldens sports fans and rivals alike to participate in disrespectful behavior such as painting their faces, donning headdresses, engaging in the war cry, tomahawk chop, name-calling, and other racist speech to depict American Indians.
1 Kevin Gover, Director of the Smithsonian's Notional Museum of the American Indian and o citizen of the Pawnee Tribe of Oklahoma.
2 Dr. Scott Langston, College of Liberal Arts, Department of Religion Instructor, TCU. 3 The National Congress of American Indians (NCA) studies. ' The American Psychological Association,Indian sports mascots: Affective difference between American Indian and non-Indian college students. 5 Dr. Stephanie Fryberg, preeminent cultural and social psychology scholar and enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribes in Washington State. 7) According to many Native American Nations/Tribes, it is racist and detrimental to have the Native American spiritually related attire, known as regalia, being used as a custom to entertain.
8) In some cases, non-Native students participating as Native American mascots, experience shame when they think or know is wrong, or even not realizing its negative impact until a later time.
9) Educational institutions should not be vehicles of institutionalized racism.6 Dallas ISO removed all Indian mascots, imagery, and Indian names twenty years ago. "Why do we have to tell educators in an educational system that this is wrong? These are different times in perspectives. If you are making changes for BLM, why are you not making changes to Native American issues? You are educators, you are influencers, you define peoples' future".7
10) Diversity creates an inclusive environment that prepares and promotes student success in our global society.ª GPISD supports ALL learners, including American Indian students, to reach their academic goals within a supportive and safe environment.
Disclaimer: The reasons include a collection of voices from the American Indian community and educational experts in American Indian studies. The terms American Indian and Native American are used interchangeably.
6 National Indian Education Association Resolution - call to all educational entities to cease the use of logos, imagery and mascots, November 2, 2013 7 Bryan Larney, Chair for Indian Citizens Against Racial Exploitation and Chair and Co-founder of the American Indian Heritage Day in Texas and mandatory day September 26, legislation passed by Governor Perry. 8 Stated on the GPISD district's website and also reflected in the newly adopted resolution. COVID-19 resources for psychologists, health-care workers and the public. Visit Resources Page_±
±ii= AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
MEMBERSTOPICSPUBLICATIONS & DATABASESPSYCHOLOGY HELP CENTERNEWS & EVENTSSCIENCEEDUCATIONCAREERSABOUT APA Summary of the APA Resolution Recommending Retirement of American Indian Mascots "The use of American Indian mascots as symbols in schools and university athletic programs is particularly troubling because schools are places of learning. These mascots are teaching stereotypical, misleading and too often, insulting images of American Indians. These negative lessons are not just affecting American Indian students; they are sending the wrong message to all students."
- Former APA President Ronald F. Levant, EdD
Retirement of American Indian Mascots In 2005, the APA called for the immediate retirement of all American Indian mascots, symbols, images and personalities by schools, colleges, universities, athletic teams and organizations. APA's position is based on a growing body of social science literature that shows the harmful effects of racial stereotyping and inaccurate racial portrayals, including the particularly harmful effects of American Indian sports mascots on the social identity development and self-esteem of American Indian young people.
Research has shown that the continued use of American Indian mascots, symbols, images and personalities has a negative effect on not only American Indian students but all students by:
Undermining the educational experiences of members of all communities-especially those who have had little or no contact with indigenous peoples. The symbols, images and mascots teach non-Indian children that it's acceptable to participate in culturally abusive behavior and perpetuate inaccurate misconceptions about American Indian culture.
Establishes an unwelcome and often times hostile learning environment for American Indian students that affirms negative images/stereotypes that are promoted in mainstream society.
According to Stephanie Fryberg, PhD, University of Arizona, this appears to have a negative impact on the self-esteem of American Indian children, "American Indian mascots are harmful not only because they are often negative, but because they remind American Indians of the limited ways in which others see them. This in turn restricts the number of ways American Indians can see themselves."
Undermines the ability of American Indian Nations to portray accurate and respectful images of their culture, spirituality and traditions. Many American Indians report that they find today's typical portrayal of American Indian culture disrespectful and offensive to their spiritual beliefs.
Presents stereotypical images of American Indians. Such mascots are a contemporary example of prejudice by the dominant culture against racial and ethnic minority groups.
Is a form of discrimination against American Indian Nations that can lead to negative relations between groups.
"We know from the literature that oppression, covert and overt racism, and perceived racism can have serious negative consequences for the mental health of American Indian and Alaska native people. The discontinued use of American Indian mascots is a gesture to show that this kind of racism toward and the disrespect of, all people in our country and in the larger global context, will not be tolerated," said Lisa Thomas, PhD, APA Committee on Ethnic and Minority Affairs.
To eradicate the hurtful presence of stereotypical imaging of American Indians, the APA encourages continued research on the psychological effects that these mascots, symbols, images and personalities have on American Indian communities and others.
The APA is calling upon all psychologists to speak out against racism, and take proactive steps to prevent the occurrence of intolerant or racist acts and recommends the immediate retirement of American Indian mascots, symbols, images and personalities by schools, colleges, universities, athletic teams and organizations. This document is based on the APA American Indian Mascot Resolution adopted by the APA's Council of Representatives in September 2005.
Read the full text of the official APA American Indian Mascot Resolution(/about/policy/mascots.pdf)
For more information Office of Public Communications (202) 336-5700
Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs (202) 336-6050
TDD (202) 336-6123 • Date created: 2011
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Early Career Psychologists ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY Videos Corporate Supporters National Congress of American Indians Position on American Indian Sports Mascots April 20, 2009
It is our understanding that the Spirit Lake Dakotah Nation will soon hold a referendum on the question of whether to support or oppose the "Fighting Sioux" mascot used by the University of North Dakota sports teams. This is an important question for the Tribe to consider. The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has taken a position generally opposing the use ofAmerican Indian mascots for sports teams, while supporting the ability of American Indian Tribes and Nations to work collaboratively with universities and athletic programs in a manner that is respectful to tribal culture and the right of each tribe and tribal community to decide for itself how to protect and celebrate its heritage.
The National Congress ofAmerican Indians ("NCAI") was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian tribes and nations. In recent years, every Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota Tribe (commonly referred to as "Sioux") has been an NCAI member. 1
The NCAI is dedicated to protecting the rights and improving the welfare ofAmerican Indians, and has a history of involvement in educational, cultural and policy issues affecting American Indians communities. The NCAI has campaigned to discontinue the use of American Indian sports nicknames and imagery since 1968, and numerous colleges across this country once using such nicknames and imagery have since then successfully terminated their use. In recent years, the NCAI, with the unanimous
1 From 2001 to 2008, the following Great Plains Lakota, Dakota, and Nakata Tribes have been members ofNCAI: (1) Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe; (2) Crow Creek Sioux Tribe; (3) Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe; (4) Lower Brule Sioux Tribe; (5), Oglala Sioux Tribe; (6) Rosebud Sioux Tribe; (7) Santee Sioux Tribe; (8) Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyaté; (9) Spirit Lake Tribe; (10) Standing Rock Sioux Tribe; (11) Yankton Sioux Tribe. Various Lakota, Dakota, or Nakata Tribes within the Bureau oflndian Affairs Rocky Mountain and Great Lakes Regions also held membership. 2 See American Indians And Sports Team Mascots: A Timeline Of Change, available at http://www.ncai.org/ncai/resource/documents/governance/mastimeline.htm. support of its member tribes, has adopted three resolutions calling for an end to the remaining use of disparaging American Indian nicknames and imagery by a handful of prominent sports teams, specifically calling on UND to end this use, and specifically supporting the NCAA's 2005 policy.3
Resolution to Prevent Negative Use ofNative American Mascots, Logos and Symbols in Sports. In June 1998, the NCAI expressed its consensus view that the use of "Indian" mascots, logos and symbols in athletics is hurtful to American Indians and should stop. NCAI Resolution No. GRB-98-034. Through this resolution, the NCAI's member tribes explained the harm such stereotyping names and images cause: "[T]he use ofNative American mascots, logos and symbols depicting American Indian people are offensive to us, and such depictions are inaccurate, unauthentic representations of the rich diversity and complex history ofthe more than 560 Indian Tribes in the United States and perpetuate cultural and racial stereotypes[.]" The resolution further identifies the insidious manner in which the use of these names and images affect even how Native Americans see themselves: "[S]ports teams with 'Indian logos' influence the images we see, the clothing we wear, and the standards we set, thereby encouraging us to tolerate racism." When it adopted this resolution, the NCAI joined the increasing chorus of voices from Native American Tribes condemning the use of such names and images.
Resolution Opposing_UND "Fighting Sioux" Name and Logo. In November 2001, the NCAI specifically resolved that the imagery employed by UND, whether intended or not, is "demeaning by its very nature" to the Native American people. NCAI Resolution #SPO-01-046. The resolution urged that the "Fighting Sioux" name and logo are "stereotypical symbols [that] create an environment in which degrading acts become more acceptable and promote practices that trivialize and demean Native American culture, traditions and spirituality[.]" The resolution further expressed concern for Native
3 All NCAI resolutions are available on our website at www.ncai.org. NCAI resolutions are the mechanism used to express the NCAI's position on policies that affect Indian Nations and Native American people. Resolutions are vetted and discussed by both a committee and a subcommittee, • and are adopted by a General Assembly following Robert's Rules of Order. During the resolutions process, any member ofNCAI has three opportunities to raise objections or make a motion to table or amend a resolution.
2 Americans attending UND, where pervasive use of such name and logo creates a hostile educational environment that "limits the ability of all Native students to learn and take part in campus and community activities."
This NCAI resolution spoke for all NCAI members across the country, and in particular reflects a concurrence of the North Dakota and South Dakota Lakota, and Dakota Indian Tribes. Seven of the eight major Lakota and Dakota tribes in North and South Dakota have adopted standing resolutions opposing the "Fighting Sioux" name and imagery, including: the Yankton Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyaté Tribe, and Crow Creek Sioux Tribe. These Lakota and Dakota tribes have themselves described the "Fighting Sioux" name and logo as: • "racially insensitive" (Standing Rock and Oglala Sioux Tribes);4 • "showing complete disrespect" (Rosebud Sioux Tribe);5 • "demeaning and derogatory'' (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe); • "degrading]" (Yan.kton Sioux Tribe); 7 • "totally unacceptable and only leads to dehumanizing" (Sisseton• Wahpeton Sioux Tribe); and • "most offensive" (Crow Creek Sioux Tribe).9
' Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Council Resolution No. 356-92 (Dec. 3, 1992) (asking for UND to discontinue the use ofthe "Fighting Sioux" nickname); Oglala Sioux Tribes Resolution ofthe Executive Committee No. 99-07XB (Feb. 3, 1992) (same) UND Ex. R. See also Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Council Resolution No. 438-05 (Sept. 15, 2005) (reaffirming Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's official opposition to the "Fighting Sioux" name and logo). Letter from Rosebud Sioux Tribe President to UND President Dr. Kendall Baker dated Feb. 16, 1999, UND Ex. R. 6 Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Council Resolution No. 287-97-CR (Oct. 8, 1997) (requesting that UND discontinue the use ofthe "Fighting Sioux" name), UND Ex. R. 7 Letter from Tribal Chairman to UND President Dr. Kendall Baker dated Feb. 19, 1999, UND Ex. R. 8 Letter from Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe Council to UND President Dr. Kendall Baker dated Feb. 19, 1999; See also Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe Council Resolution No. SWST-99-015 (Feb. 12, 1999) (requesting that UND ban the use of the "Fighting Sioux" nickname), UND Ex. R. 9 Letter from Crow Creek Sioux Tribe Chairman to UND President Dr. Kendall Baker dated Feb. 18, 1999, UND Ex. R.
3 The NCAI resolution further cites for support the North Dakota Indian Education Association and the Minnesota Indian Education Association, which found the name and logo "demeaning" and encouraging ofpractices that "trivialize our traditions, culture, and spirituality." NCAI Resolution #SPO-01-046.
Resolution_Supporting the 2005 _NCAA Policy. In November 2005, the NCAI adopted a resolution "strongly support[ing]" the NCAA policy on hostile or abusive mascots in postseason NCAA activities. NCAI Resolution No. TUL-05-087. This resolution is consistent with previous NCAI resolutions and mirrored the September 2005 resolution of the United Tribes of North Dakota in support of the NCAA policy." The November 2005 NCAI Resolution reiterated that the use of Native American sports mascots, logos, or symbols perpetuates stereotypes of American Indians that are very harmful. "The 'warrior savage' myth has plagued this country's relationships with the Indian people, as it reinforces the racist view that Indians are uncivilized and uneducated and it has been used to justify policies of forced assimilation and destruction of the Indian culture." Further, the NCAI stated that such stereotypes foster ongoing discrimination against Native Americans, including employment in fields that require education and sophistication.
The NCAI continues to promote the position that universities and athletic programs must work collaboratively with American Indian Tribes and Nations in a manner that is respectful to tribal culture and the right of each tribe and tribal community to decide for itself how to best protect and celebrate its heritage.
"" See United Tribes ofNorth Dakota Intertribal Summit Resolution No. 05-06 (Sept. 8, 2005), UND Ex. R, No. 3. The United Tribes ofNorth Dakota is an association ofthe five federally recognized tribes in North Dakota: (1) Spirit Lake Tribe; (2) Sisseton Wahpeton Oyaté Tribe; (3) Standing Rock Sioux Tribe; (4) Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, and (5) Three Affiliated Tribes . The resolution urges that UND change its "Sioux" nickname "as quickly as possible out of simple respect and sensitivity to the concerns and desires of the Native Americans everywhere ... to be free from negative images and stereotypes" and points to the allowance of an atmosphere of hostility at UND that has resulted in "numerous ugly incidents, including beatings, vandalism, death threats and other incidents directed towards Native American students and others who have advocated for a change in nickname."
4 ENDING THE LEGACY OF RACISM IN SPORTS & THE ERA OF HARMFUL "INDIAN" SPORTS MASCOTS National Congress ofAmerican Indians/ October 2013 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ENDING THE LEGACY OF RACISM IN SPORTS & THE ERA OF HARMFUL "INDIAN" SPORTS MASCOTS
"Indian" sports brands used by professional teams were born in an era when racism and bigotry were accepted by the dominant culture. These brands which have grown to become multi-million dollar franchises were establishedat a time when the practice of using racial epithets and slurs as marketing slogans were a common practice among white owners seeking to capitalize on cultural superiority and racial tensions.
Over the last fiftyyears a ground swell of support has mounted tobring an endto the eraof racist andharmful "Indian" mascots in sports and popular culture. Today, thatsupport is stronger than ever. Rooted in the civil rights movement, the quest for racial equality among American Indian and Alaska Native people began well before the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) established a campaign in 1968 to bringanend to negative and harmful stereotypes in the media and popular culture. While these advances have been positive, equality still remains elusive in everyday life for Native peoples.
Native peoples remain more likely than any other race to experience crimes at the hands of a person from another race. Native youth experience the highest rates of suicide among young people. With studies showing that negative stereotypes and harmful "Indian" sports mascots are known to play a role in exacerbating racial inequity and perpetuating feelings of inadequacy among Native youth, it is vital that all institutions--including professional sports franchises-re-evaluate their role in capitalizing on these stereotypes.
Since 1963, no professional teams have established new mascots that use racial stereotypes in their names and imagery. In 2005, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) established an extensive policy to remove harmful "Indian" mascots. There has also been a strong trend to remove harmful "Indian" mascots at the high school level, including 28 high schools that have dropped the "R" word as their mascot's name. Hundreds of tribal nations, national tribal organizations, civil rights organizations, school boards, sports teams, and individuals have called for the end to harmful "Indian" mascots.
Yet, contrary to industry best practices, calls for name changes by tribal nations and Native peoples, and a sea change at the youth, amateur, collegiate, and professional sports levels, a number of professional sports leagues and teams have opted to retain harmful "Indian" brands, rather than truly honor Native peoples. The most discussed in the media oflate has been the Washington football team, which uses the term "Redskns." This derogatory name was created in 1932 - while the federal "Civilization Regulations" were still in place, confining Native people to reservations, banning all Native dances and ceremonies, confiscating Native cultural property and outlawing much of what was traditional in Native life. That also was the year before owner George Preston Marshall instituted what would become a 13-year league-wide ban on African-American players from the NFL. (The Washington football team did not integrate until 30 years later, when Marshall was forced to do so).
The following document outlines the position of NCAI, the nation's oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization, which has a clear position against derogatory and harmful stereotypes of Native people-including sports mascots-in media and popular culture. The information provided also includes historical and contemporary background information on "Indian" sports mascots and the widely supported efforts to end the era of harmful and racist mascots.
This document focuses primarily on the NFL's Washington football team, which is currently engaged in a trademark lawsuit brought by Native youth. The document reviews the link between the name of the team and a legacy of racism established by the team's owner George Preston Marshall. More importantly, the document outlines why this issue is directly tied to racial equity and social justice and calls on professional sports organizations such as the National Football League and other professional sports leagues and affiliated businesses to bring an end to the era of harmful "Indian" sports mascots.
1 Due to the deeply offensive nature of the name of the Washington football team, this paper renders the team name as "Redskns" or the "R Word" throughout. TABLE OF CONTENTS
l. HARMFUL "INDIAN" MASCOTS AND NEGATIVE IMPACTS 5
II. ENDING HARMFUL MASCOTS - A NATIONAL PRIORITY FOR 45 YEARS 6
Ill. NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (NCAA) POLICY ON HOSTILE AND ABUSIVE MASCOTS 7
IV. STATE POLICY POSITIONS ON HARMFUL MASCOTS IN SCHOOLS 8
V. PROFESSIONAL SPORTS AND HARMFUL MASCOTS 9
VI. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM - ENDING A LEGACY OF RACISM 10
VII. HARMFUL MASCOTS: RACIAL EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE 16
VIII. REFERENCES 18 APPENDIX A- TIME LINE OF RACE & CHANGE - THE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM 18 APPENDIX B- TIMELINE OF SELECTED COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY MASCOT NAME CHANGES AND OTHER IMPORTANT EVENTS ADDRESSING "INDIAN" MASCOTS 20 APPENDIX C- 2009 US SUPREME COURT AMICUS BRIEF SUPPORTERS 22 APPENDIX D- GROUPS WITH RESOLUTIONS TO END HARMFUL MASCOTS 23 APPENDIX E- GROUPS SUPPORTING END TO HARMFUL MASCOTS 23 END NOTES 27 "Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. Even before there were large numbers ofNegroes on our shores, the scar ofracial hatred had already disfigured colonial society. From the sixteenth centuryforward, bloodflowed in battles ofracial supremacy. We are perhaps the only nation which tried as a matter ofnational policy to wipe out its indigenous population. Moreover, we elevated that tragic experience into a noble crusade. Indeed, even today we have not permitted ourselves to reject or to feel remorsefor this shameful episode.
. . Our literature, ourfilms, our drama, ourfolklore all exalt it."
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why We Can't Wait, 1963 I. HARMFUL "INDIAN" MASCOTS AND NEGATIVE IMPACTS
American Indian and Alaska Native peoples and governments are central members of and contributors to North American society- with over 566 federally recognized tribes, all of which are sovereign nations - with lands located within the borders of 34 states. Over 5.2 million American Indian or Alaska Native people were counted in the 2010 Census representing close to 2 percent of the US population. In total, tribal governments are the second largest landowner in the United States and exercise jurisdiction over lands that would make Indian Country the size of the fourth largest state in the nation.
The use of racist and derogatory "Indian" sports mascots, logos, or symbols, is harmful and perpetuates negative stereotypes of America's first peoples. Specifically, rather than honoring Native peoples, these caricatures and stereotypes contribute to a disregard for the personhood of Native peoples. Efforts to end harmful "Indian" mascots are rooted in an attempt to achieve social justice and racial equity across all parts of American society.
Widely consumed images of Native American stereotypes in commercial and educational environments slander, defame, and vilify Native peoples, Native cultures, and tribal nations, and continue a legacy of racist and prejudiced attitudes. In particular, the 'savage' and 'clownish' caricatures used by sports teams with "Indian" mascots contribute to the "savage" image of Native peoples and the myth that Native peoples are an ethnic group 'frozen in history.' All of which continue to plague this country's relationships with Native peoples and perpetuate racial and political inequity.
Harmful and negative stereotypes also have a damaging impact on Native young people. Of today's American Indian and Alaska Native population, those under the age of 18 make up 32 percent, and Native youth under the age of 24 represent nearly half, or 42 percent, of the entire Native population.
Empirical evidence in a 2004 study by Dr. Stephanie Fryberg a preeminent cultural and social psychology scholar and an enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribes in Washington state, showed that the use of American Indian-based names, mascots, and logos in sports have a negative psychological effect on Native peoples and positive psychological consequences for European Americans.1 Additionally, Fryberg has concluded that these mascots have negative effects on race relations in the United States.
When exposed to these images, the self-esteem of Native youth is harmfully impacted, their self-confidence erodes, and their sense of identity is severely damaged. Specifically, these stereotypes affect how Native youth view the world and their place in society, while also affecting how society views Native peoples. This creates an inaccurate portrayal of Native peoples and their contributions to society. Creating positive images and role models is essential in helping Native youth more fully and fairly establish themselves in today's society.
The rate of suicide among American youth is highest for Native young people at 18 percent, which is twice the rate of the next highest of 8.4 percent among non-Hispanic white youth. Suicide is particularly prevalent among young Native men, who commit suicide at a rate that is up to five times higher than that of young Native women.2 Where the "invisibility" of Native peoples and a lack of positive images of Native cultures may not present a major issue for many Americans, it poses a significant challenge for Native youth who want to access and maintain a foundation in their Native cultures and languages.
The intolerance and harm promoted by "Indian" mascots have very real consequences. The alarmingly high rates of hate crimes against Native people indicates a need to take immediate action in a number of areas, inc1uding the removal of harmful images and education of the general public to diffuse additional hateful activity against Native peoples. According to Department of Justice analysis, "American Indians are more likely than people of other races to experience violence at the hands of someone of a different race." In Fryberg's study, findings show that Native stereotypes lead to a boost in self-esteem for non-Na:tives, specifically European Americans; "American Indian social representations were associated with lower self-esteem for American Indians and higher self-esteem for European Americans." II. ENDING HARMFUL MASCOTS - A NATIONAL PRIORITY FOR 45 YEARS
NCAI, the nation's oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization has a long-standing, firm position against the use of "Indian" stereotypes as mascots, logos, and symbols in various sports, commercial, and cultural institutions. Theseharmful and archaic depictions must be ended. Since 1968, with the establishment of an organizational campaign to end harmful stereotypes, NCAI has contributed to the development ofa diverse and large coalition of institutions over the last 45 years, including tribal governments and tribal members, all of whom support the elimination of stereotypical Native American images and team names.
As these stereotypes continue to be perpetuatedby national and local media and popular culture, Native youth-the fastestgrowing segment of the Native population-areat an increased risk of harm, both self• inflicted and by those who are non-Native. NCAI's position to end negative and harmful stereotypes is directly linked to our ongoing efforts to build a healthy and nurturing environment for Native youth to flourish and become the next generation ofleaders and Native citizens.
The organization has passed a number of resolutions on the issue, specifically in 1993 calling on the Washington football team to end the use of the team's name andin 2005 in support of the NCAA ban on "Indian" mascots, nicknames, and imagery in postseason play.
Along with the hundreds of tribal governments who make up NCAI, opposition to these sports stereotypes has been declared bynational and regional tribal organizations, individual tribal governments, state governments, agencies, organizations,and companiesall of whom have taken officialpositions or actions in support of ending harmful mascots. They have been joined by large numbers of civil rights, education, youth advocacy, mental health, religious, and other national organizations which have taken formal positions against harmful mascots. As a result of ongoing education and advocacy,intotal, two-thirds orover2,00O "Indian" references in sports have been eliminated duringthe past 35 years. Nearly 1,000 still remain today.5
+1. Echoing the objections of many organizations throughout the country - suchas the NAACP and National Education Association - in 2001 the US Commission on Civil Rightsconcluded that Native American references in sports "whether mascots and their performances, logos, or names, are disrespectful and offensive to American Indians and others who are offended by such stereotyping" and "are particularly inappropriate and insensitive in light of the long history of forced assimilation that American Indian people have endured in this country."6
This position is shared by an overwhelming number of national organizations, including the:
• American Psychological Association, which passed a resolution calling for the immediate retirement of American Indian mascots and imagery, citing potential negative effects it may have on the mental health and psychological behavior of American Indian people7; and
• American Sociological Association, which called for the discontinued use of Native American nicknames, logos and mascots in sports, stating that "social science scholarship has demonstrated that the continued use of Native American nicknames, logos and mascots in sport harm Native American people in psychological, educational, and social ways."8
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) 1999 Resolution - "BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the·national NAACP call upon all professional sports teams and public and private schools and universities currently using such names and images to reject the use of Native Americans and all historically oppressed people and their cultural traditions, as sports mascots and symbols and affirm their commitment to respect racial and cultural inclusion in all aspects of their institutions;..."9
For a full list oforganizations that have endorsed the elimination of "Indian" mascots and images in sports, see Appendices D and E. III. NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (NCAA) POLICY ON HOSTILE AND ABUSIVE MASCOTS
"The NCAA objects to institutions using racial/ethnic/national origin references in their intercollegiate athletics programs...As a national association, we believe that mascots, nicknames or images deemed hostile or abusive in terms ofrace, ethnicity or national origin should not be visible at the championship events that we control." - NCAA President Myles Brand, 2005
In 2005, the NCAA Executive Committee established its policy "prohibiting colleges or universities with hostile or abusive mascots, nicknames or imagery from hosting any NCAA championship competitions."1º In 2005, NCAI passed a resolution in support of the NCAA ban on "Indian" mascots, nicknames, and imagery in postseason play, including the namesake exception policy.11 The NCAA's policy took effect February 1, 2006.
Upon announcing the policy, the NCAA's Executive Committee also "strongly suggested that institutions follow the best practices of institutions that do not support the use of Native American mascots or imagery. Model institutions include the University of Iowa and University of Wisconsin, who have practices of not scheduling athletic competitions with schools who use Native American nicknames, imagery or mascots."12
Additionally, the Committee suggested that institutions should review their publications and written materials for hostile and abusive references and remove those depictions, which is the current policy of the NCAA National Office.
NCAA "NAMESAKEEXCEPTION" The NCAA's namesake exception allows universities to keep their Native American nicknames and imagery ifit is based on a particular tribe and have the permission to do so by the respective tribe. In 2005 the NCAA approved a namesake exception process;
..by which colleges and universities subject to restrictions on the use of Native American mascots, names and imagery at NCAA championships will be reviewed ...
One primary factor that will be considered is if documentation exists that a 'namesake' tribe has formally approved of the use of the mascot, name, and imagery by the institution." 13
The Florida State University "Seminoles," the University of Utah "Utes," and the Central Michigan University "Chippewas" were taken off the list after the local namesake tribes expressed support for their respective mascots and logos. The University of North Dakota did not receive an exemption for its Fighting Sioux name after it was determined that there was insufficient namesake support from local tribes. The University dropped the name in 2012 after more than two-thirds of voters in North Dakota voted against a state referendum to keep the name.1+
As stated in NCAI's resolution on the matter, the organization supports individual tribes, universities, and sports teams working together in ways that are respectful of tribal culture and ensure that Indian imagery is utilized in an honorable manner. NCAI respects the sovereignty of tribal governments to make their own decisions regarding their relationships with local school districts and university sports teams. IV. STATE POLICY POSITIONS ON HARMFUL MASC0TS IN SCHOOLS
"The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights callsfor an end to the use of Native American images and team names by non-Native schools. The Commission deeply respects the right ofall Americans to freedom ofexpression under the FirstAmendment and in no way would attempt to prescribe how people can expressthemselves. However, the Commission believes that the use ofNative American images and nicknames in schools is insensitive and should be avoided. .. Schools have a • : \ • • ••. • 1 ' . ,. I .. > > '• ' • I•• , ' •,1•: • \ # • \ .. ·,_ • , { ~ > \ . • ' \ • - responsibility to educate their students; they shouldnot use their influence to perpetuate i i misrepresentations ofany culture or people." - US. Commission on Civil Rights, April 13, 2001 : • Several states have taken action to address the raciststereotypes perpetuated by "Indian" mascots and images in their schools: • '
. \ . . • Wisconsin - The Wisconsin State legislature passed the 2009 Wisconsin Act 250 (download), which allows community members to fle complaints to the state's Department of Public Instruction, who then have the authority to call for name and mascot changes in the questioned schools, if it is determined the names/mascots are discriminatory;
• Michigan - In 2013, the State of Michigan State Board ofEducation passed a resolution (download) urging all of its schools to drop any American Indian references such as mascots, nicknames and logos; and
• Oregon - The Oregon State Board of Education in 2012 banned all Native American team names, mascots, and logos in their schools. The legislation followed a report to the State Board ofEducation by the Superintendent of Public Instruction on harmful mascots in schools (download). In 2013, at the urging of the Board members and the Native coalition that successfully advocated the law's passage, the Governor vetoed what would have been a legislative loophole for certain schools to escape coverage of the law.
As a result of these policies and educational efforts by concerned stakeholders, many schools throughout the United States have made the reasonable and mature decision to stop the preservation of institutionalized racism and discontinue use of their "Indian" names, mascots and logos.
• Two-thirds or over 2,000 of such "Indian" references in sports have been eliminated during the past 35 years. • Over the past 25 years, 28 high schools have changed their "Redskns" name. V. PROFESSIONAL SPORTS AND HARMFUL MASCOTS
The professional sports industry, specifically the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and the National Hockey League (NHL) and the leagues' team owners have failed to address the racist origins of deplorable race based marketing strategies of the past. Often citing a long held myth by non-Native people that "Indian" mascots "honor Native people," American sports businesses such as the NFL's Washington "Redskns" and Kansas City "Chiefs," MLB's Cleveland "Indians" and Atlanta "Braves," and the NHL's Chicago Black Hawks, continue to profit from harmful stereotypes originated during a time when white superiority and segregation were common place.
Each of these professional sports businesses attempt to establish a story of honoring Native peoples through the names or mascots; however, each one-be it through logos or traditions (e.g., fight songs, mascots, human impersonators, and fan culture)diminishes the place, status, and humanity of contemporary Native citizens. What is true about many of the brand origin stories is that team owners during the birth of these brands hoped to gain financially from mocking Native identity. As a result, these businesses perpetuated racial and political inequity. Those who have kept their logos and brands, continue to do so.
Despite the institutional leadership exhibited at the collegiate level and the sweeping change taking place at the high school level across the United States, there has been no action at the professional level to address harmful mascots. However, there has been a clear trend that establishing new harmful mascots is not acceptable.
Since 1963, when the Dallas Texans relocated and-became the Kansas City Chiefs, no professional teams have established new mascots that use racial stereotypes in their names and imagery. Additionally, some professional teams, such as the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Golden State Warriors have changed their logo, removing the headdress to reduce the use ofnegative stereotypes. While not directly related to Native mascots, the NBA's Washington Bullets changed the team's name and imagery to the Washington Wizards in response to local and national concern regarding the high levels of violence in the region, specifically in the African American community.
Among the remaining professional teams with harmful mascots, actions by the MLB's Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians to subtly alter logos and team branding in an attempt to mitigate harm while keeping established brand identity, indicates that management in these businesses understand the negative social impact of their brands.
In 1986, the Atlanta Braves "retired Chief Noc-A-Homa, a mascot who actually had a teepee in the bleachers of Fulton County Stadium and performed a war dance when a home team player hit a home run."15 However, these actions also indicate an unwillingness to completely disavow their business from their brands for financial reasons. VI. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM - ENDING A LEGACY OF RACISM
Among the professional ranks, the effort by the NFL and the Washington football team to retain the violent and racially derived term "Redskns" has been a focus ofnational and international media. The legacy of racism which was established by the team's owner, George Preston Marshall, is an important component to the story of the Washington football team name, in addition to its violent origins in American popular culture.
The term originates from a time when Native people were actively hunted and killed for bounties, and their skins were used as proof of Indian kill.16 Bounties were issued by European companies, colonies, and some states, most notably California. By the turn of the 20th century it had evolved to become a term meant to disparage and denote inferiority and savagery in American culture. By 1932, theword had been a term of commodification and a commentary on the colorof a body part. It was not then and is not now an honorific. In 1932, the term was selected as the new name of the Boston Braves by the team's new owner, George Preston Marshall; considered the league'smost notorious racist owner in theformative years ofthe NFL.17
I The term has since evolved to take on further derogatory meanings. Specifically, in the 20h Century the term became a widely used derogatory term to negatively characterize Native characters in the media and popular culture, such as flms and on television. Consider the following excerpt from a 1972 letter to NFL President BennettWilliams from a coalition of American Indian organizations explaining why the term is disparaging:
·• "The term "Redsk*n" has been perpetuated through such media as western movies and television. Most often, the term is coupled with other derogatory adjectives, as "dirty Redskn" or "pesky Redskn" which is used interchangeably with the word"savage" toportray a misleading and denigrating image of the Native American."
u +-. · + ± ·t '$• The NFL's Washingtonfootball team has justified its use ofits racistmoniker bystating that the name is an attempt to honor Native peoples, citing thatthen-new owner of the Boston Braves, GeorgePreston Marshall, changed the name to the Boston Redskns, to both accommodate a branding conflict with the Boston "Braves" baseball team and to honor new coach William "Lonestar" Dietz in 1932, whose false identity as an American Indian was exposed in a federal court proceedingand an extensive FBI investigation.The Washington franchise persists in its mythology that the team was named to honor Dietz, who was German.
Though Dietz's first two seasons would be his last (he was fired after achieving a.500 win-loss record), owner George Preston Marshall went on to become known as one of the most vehement advocates of outright racist and segregationist policies of the NFL.18
. ' In 1933, the year after the name change, Marshall had established himself as a leader in bringing racial segregation to the business of football. It is well documented that Marshall supported, if not instigated, a ban of African American football players from NFL play, which successfully lasted thirteen years till 1946, when the league reintegrated. This happened just one year before Jackie Robinson put on a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform, integrating Major League Baseball in 1947. The Washington football team was the last team to integrate in 1962, bitterly hanging on and capitulated only after being forced to do so by the federal government and the Kennedy Administration. ¥ . . ¿3·3.±£.E .nos After moving the team to Washington, DC from Boston in 1938, Marshall continued to refuse to hire African American players. Throughout the late 50's and early 60's Marshall kept fighting a losing battle against the rising tide of racial equality. Inthe late1950s, Marshall ordered the lyricsof the now infamous team fightsong be changed from "fight for old D.C." to "fight for old Dixie."?2 His intentions became clear during the Kennedy Administration's efforts to encourage the team to integrate,given thatthe team's stadium was on federal land, telling the New YorkTimesin 1961,"We take most ofour players out ofSouthern colleges and are trying to 3 appeal to Southern people...Thosecolleges don'thave any Negroplayers."2 sic
Duringthe same time, membersofthe American NaziParty"demonstrated in D.C. withplacards reading KEEP REDSKNS WHITE."And in thefinalperiod ofnegotiations Marshall said,"We'll start signing Negroes when the Harlem Globetrotters start signing whites."?4 The team and Marshall finallycapitulated in 1962, aftertheNFL · ±lda , ni' tz«i -s $ 4 dos y • t lk· ' r. • negotiated a deal tohelp the teamavoidevictionfromfederalland, agreeingto sign an African American player to the team by the end of1962. In1962, the Washington Football team became the last team to sign an African American to their roster. " "
In 1963, Marshall suf ereda debilitating stroke. In 1967, justtwo years before his death andjustthreeyears after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, theWashington football team registeredits trademark for "Redskns," attemptingto solidify its mark in history for good and protect Marshall's legacy. sos
L : ,:•¡_. , • . • - • " ••• ~ • In 1968 - just one year after the trademark was registered - NCAI and the Native community began a campaign to eliminate negative stereotypesof Nativepeoples in popular culture. Whatfollowed was anearly 25-year effort bytheNativecommunityto convince theWashington team to voluntarily change its name, sending the team owner letters and offeringoptions forthe team to make changes to right the wrong.
In 1992, members of the Native community fled a petition before the US Patent and Trademark Office's (PTO) TrademarkTrial and Appeal Board , requesting cancelation of the six trademark licenses for Redskns that the PTO granted to Pro Football, Inc, between 1967 and 1990. In 1993, NCAI took a formal position against the team name issuing the following resolution: "Resolution in Support of the Petition for Cancellation of the Registered Service Marks of the Washington Redsk*ns AKA Pro-Football, Inc."
In the resolution NCAI stated that:
"[T]he term REDSK*NS is not and has never been one of honor or respect, but instead, it has always been and continues to be a pejorative, derogatory, denigrating, offensive, scandalous, contemptuous, disreputable, disparaging, and racist designation for Native Americans." In 1999, a three-judge panel of the PTO's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled unanimously in favor of the plaintiffs, finding that the Redskns trademark "may be disparaging of Native Americans to a substantial composite of this group of people," and "may bring Native Americans into contempt or disrepute." According to news reports, "between 1996 and 2002, the patent office rejected at least three attempts by the Redsk*ns to register new brands using the word, in each case citing disparagement as the grounds for action."27
The PTO decision was overturned by a federal District court judge on a technicality, laches, with the unique interpretation to mean that each of the plaintiffs waited too long after turning 18 to bring the case forward. NCAI was an amicus curiae, along with the National Indian Education Association, the National Indian Youth Council and the Tulsa Indian Coalition Against Racism, in a brief filed by the Native American Rights Fund before the federal Court of Appeals, which did not rule on the merits of the case, but upheld the laches technicality.
In 2009, NCAI filed an amicus brief along with four tribal governments (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Comanche Nation of Oklahoma, Oneida Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, and Seminole Nation of Oklahoma - all federally recognized Indian tribes that have adopted resolutions condemning the use of Indian names and mascots by sports teams), as well as over 20 national Indian organizations, requesting that the US Supreme Court hear an appeal to the lower court rulings and uphold the PTO's decision. ?8
The Supreme Court eventually denied hearing the appeal. However, the message of the amicus in the 2009 filing led by NCAI was clear, and outlined the following points:
The Trademark "Redskns" is Harmful - As was declared by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, "Redskns" is a pejorative term for Native Americans and is a registered trademark that disparages an entire group and perpetuates a centuries old stereotype. The logo and term "Redskns" should never have been registered as a federally protected trademark;
The Term is Harmful to Native Peoples - To many Native Americans, the term "Redskns" is associated with the barbaric practice of scalping. The record in this case is replete with evidence of bounty proclamations issued by the colonies and companies. These proclamations demonstrate that the term "Redskns" had its origins in the commodification of Indian skins and body parts; these "Redskns" were required as proofof Indian kill in order for bounty hunters to receive payment and these skins of genitalia (to differentiate the skins of women and children from men, in order for bounty payers to pay on a sliding scale for the exact dead Indian) were referred to as scalps (while hair from the head was referred to as top-knots);"
The Native community has led a long standing effort to change the name - In 1963 - four years before the Washington franchise first filed for trademark protection - the National Indian Youth Council was formed and began working on campuses, most notably the University of Oklahoma, to eliminate its mascot, "Little Red," and always made the case about the worst "Indian" reference, the one in the nation's capital, the Red*kins. In 1968, - just one year after Pro-Football gained its first license for the "Redkins" mark - the Native American community commenced a broad-scale effort to eradicate the use of all "Native" names and symbols. In 1972, representatives of NCAI, the American Indian Press Association, the American Indian Movement, and others reached out directly to the team owner to request that the franchise change its name. And since that time there have been substantial efforts to protest the name and call for the name change.
In 2005, when it seemed like laches would be the escape for the Washington franchise, the identical lawsuit for trademark cancellation was organized with Native young people between the ages of 18 and 24, who filed Blackhorse et al v. Pro Football, Inc., before the PTO in 2006. The case was accepted, but held in abeyance, pending the outcome of the first case. The second case proceeded to trial in 2010; a hearing was held before the three TTAB judges in March of 2013 and the parties await their decision. In the meantime, six requests for new trademarks of the same disparaging name had been held by the PTO. The appropriate protests were made and accepted in the PTO, Harjo et al Letters ofProtest, and those matters are suspended until the completion of the Blackhorse case.
CHANGE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL
While, the Washington football team justifies retaining its offensive name by pointing to schools throughout the nation that share its name, many schools have changed or are in the process of changing derogatory team names.
According to a 2013 report by Capital News Service "62 high schools in 22 states currently use the Redskns name, while 28 high schools in 18 states have dropped the mascot over the last 25 years." This represents more than one name change per year at the high school level. The report also indicated that outof the "total of 46,671 students at the 62 schools that use the name Redskns" only "2.3 percent of the students are Native American" while white students make up 64.2 percent of the student population at these schools. ?2°
The Last 25 Years - High Schools Dropping the "R" Word29
1. Oak Park High School - Oak Park, MI (1990)- Knights 2. Idaho Deaf & Blind School - Gooding, ID (early 1990s) - Raptors 3. Grand Forks Central School - Grand Forks, ND (1992) - Knights 4. Naperville High School - Naperville, IL (1992) - Redhawks 5. Arvada High School - Arvada, CO (1993) - Bulldogs 6. Goffstown High School - Goffstown, NH (1994) - Grizzlies 7. North River High School - Cosmopolis, WA (1995)- Mustangs 8. Seneca High School - Louisville, KY (1997) - Redhawks 9. Marist High School - Chicago, IL (1997) - Redhawks 10. Mountain Empire School - Pine Valley, CA (1997) - Redhawks 11. Iowa Falls-Alden High School - Iowa Falls, IA (1999) - Cadets 12. Frontier Regional School - Deerfield, MA (2000) - Red Hawks 13. Rickards High School - Tallahassee, FL (2O00) - Raiders 14. Canajoharie High School - Canajoharie, NY (2000) - Cougars 15. Hiawatha High School - Hiawatha, KS (2001) - Red Hawks 16. Parsippany High School - Troy Hills, NJ (2001)- Red Hawks 17. Scarborough High School - Scarborough, ME (2001)- Red Storm 18. Saranac Lake High School - Saranac Lake, NY (2001) - Red Storm 19. Glenwood High School - Chatham, IL (2001) - Titans 20. Milford High School - Highland Township, MI (2002) - Mavericks 21. Huntley High School - Huntley, IL (2002) - Red Raiders 22. Edmondson-Westside School - Baltimore, MD (2002) - Redstorm 23. Marshall High School - Marshall, MI (2005) - Redhawks 24. Cardinal Gibbons High School - Ft. Lauderdale, FL (2006) - Chiefs 25. Wiscasset High School - Wiscasset, ME (2011)- Wolverines 26. Colusa High School - Colusa, CA (2011) - RedHawks 27. Red Lodge High School - Red Lodge, MT (2011) - Rams 28. Sanford High School - Sanford, ME (2012) - Spartans RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM NAME CHANGE
In response to the latest legal and public challenges to the team's name and brand, current team owner Dan Snyder has followed in the legacy of his predecessor George Preston Marshall, going so far as to say that the team would 'NEVER" change the name, in response to a question from USA Today.30
In the last year there has been a marked increase in public awareness related to the Washington football team name and the call for a change.
Prominent Leaders take a Stand Against Washington Team Name - In October 2013, President Obama noted that the team name is offensive to a "sizeable group of people" and affirmed the "real and legitimate concerns" of Native peoples. He encouraged the effort to change the name.
Congressional leaders have called for the Washington football team and the NFL that it is time to move on from the harmful ways of the past. Introduced by members of the House in March of 2013, H.R. 1278, would amend the Trademark Act of 1946, banning the term and canceling the federal registrations of trademarks using term.
Members of the District of Columbia City Council and government carne forward in 2 013 with new concerns about the name. Specifically, DC Mayor Vincent Gray suggested that a return to the nation's capital from their current location in Maryland would require the team to adopt a name change. Additionally, a new resolution was discussed by DC Council member David Grosso calling for the name to be changed to Red Tails in honor of the Tuskegee Airman.
NFL Leadership and Former Players Lend Support to Change Efforts - Throughout 2013, in League responses to racial insensitivity, Commissioner Rodger Goodell has noted that "if one person is offended [by the R word] we have to listen"31 and directly responded to President Obama's comments by noting that "it is important that we listen to all perspectives."32 In response to the Riley Cooper scandal (involving use of the "N word"), Goodell noted that racial language is "obviously wrong, insensitive, and unacceptable."
In July 2013, former Washington Hall of Famers Art Monk and Darrell Green said a name change "deserves and warrants conversation" because it is offensive to Native peoples.33
Media Outlets Drop the "R" Word - In 2013 a number of major media outlets and prominent sports reporters announced they would stop using the name of the team; media outlets - Slate, Mother Jones, the New Republic, and prominent reporters - Sports Illustrated's Peter King and USA Today sports writer Christine Brennan both agreed to end using the name of the team in articles.34 Previously five newspapers had adopted policies forbidding the use of "Redskns" to identify sports teams: the Oregonian (Portland, Ore.); the Portland (Maine) Press Herald; The St Cloud (Minn.) Times; the Kansas City (Mo.) Star, and the Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star. VII. HARMFUL MASCOTS: RACIAL EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Addressing the issue of harmful "Indian" mascots inthe NFL and in other sports institutions is not a matter of political correctness. Instead, it is a matter of racial equity and justice and requires the courage of society to stand up against a perceived accepted norm and overcome racism.
ve , Many professional sports teams - including the Washington football team - have attempted to use public opinion polling to show that there is not support for changing harmful stereotypes. However, polling as a litmus test for society's acceptance and movement towardracial equity is flawed and continues to be flawed.
Historically, polling on racial equity perceptions is a misleading indicator for social and policy change. For example, in 1942 white people were asked if there should be separate restaurants for "Negroes and white people," 69 percent said yes, blacks should eatseparately. In 1946, 63 percent ofthe United States feltthat the African American communities were being treated fairly. According to a Galluppoll in 1958, 94 percent of America disapproved of marriage between blacks and whites. Six years later in 1964 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act and in 1967 bans on interracial marriage were deemed unconstitutional.
Highlighting public opinion polls or surveys has been an ongoing strategy ofthe Washington football team in an attempt to justify the team name and discredit the long standingopposition to the team's name.
. ' In 2001, an Indian Country Today pollrevealed that "over eighty per cent ofrespondents took offense at the use of Native American mascots;" yet a poll a year later in 2002 by Sports Illustrated found justthe opposite, in nearly the same percentages." Two years later "a 2004 Annenberg poll reported that more than ninety per cent of Native Americans didnot take issue with Washington's useofthe name Redskns."35 Neither the Sports Illustratedor Annenberg poll verified that the people theywere talking to actuallywere Native people. They did not ask any questionsthat would have made a case thatthe people beingpolled were Native. The Indian Country Today poll was among readers who were likely to be informed aboutNative issues, if not informed Native people.
For a national poll to include Native Americans, the overall sampling would need to be huge, in order to adequately include a statistically significant sampling ofa population assmall as Native people in the United States. This has not been done, so any national poll that purports to reflectNative opinion (other than among readers, listeners or viewers of a specific local media network) is misrepresenting Native opinion.
In April of 2013 the Washington football team heralded an Associated Press and GK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications pol],36 the results of whichwere based on 1,004 telephone interviews conducted in English or Spanish, framing the question in this way:
"Some people say that the Washington Redskns should change its team name because it is offensive to native American Indians. Others say the name is not intended to be offensive, and should not be changed. What about you: Should the Redskns change their team name, or not?"
Demographics of 2013 poll show that respondents who were asked the question were mostly white (65 percent), middle-aged (55 percent, 30-64), conservative to moderate (70 percent) pro football fans (56 percent), and nearly one-quarter (23 percent) were Tea Party supporters. Two percent said they were American Indian/Alaska Native, but they were not asked whether they were citizens of tribal nations, or if they spoke a Native language or needed a translator. Results of the poll showed that the misleading questions led to the mostly white respondents, 79 percent saying "no," the team's name should not be changed; 11 percent said change the name; 8 percent don't know; and 2 percent, no response.
Just months later the Washington Post conducted a poll in June of 2013,7 the results of which exhibited the contradictory nature of people's position on the issue. The Washington Post found that, "a large majority of area sports fans say the Washington Redsk*ns should not change the team name, even though most supporters of the nickname feel the word "redskn" is an inappropriate term for Native Americans." More specifically, "among those who want to keep the Redskns' name, most (Among Redskns fans, about eight in 10) 56 percent say they feel the word "redskn" is inappropriate."
While the results of these types of polls will continue to be unclear and vary by source, it is evident that leadership across society is needed to move the ball forward on racial equity for Native peoples including on the issue of harmful "Indian" mascots.
As African Americans achieved racial equity over the last two centuries, the systems of communicating racial violence through culture, such as sports logos quickly became a practice of the past. Today's harmful "Indian" mascots are very much an extension of the commercialization of race such as black face and African-American stereotypes like "Black Samba" and Hispanic stereotypes like "Frito Bandito". However for American Indians, the gap in racial equity is represented by the stubborn grip professional sports teams hold on their "Indian" marketing symbols.
The advancement of society through racial equality has always come about because of the political and social courage of citizens, legislators, businesses, and consumers to change legal frameworks, cultural norms, and social practices that encourage racism to permeate society. This fact remains the same today in relation to harmful "Indian" mascots. As society continues to perpetuate harm through cultural practices, racial and social equity for Native people will remain elusive.
American businesses, political leaders, institutions, and individuals must act to advance a more equal and just society for all people, and the time to advance equality for America's first people is long overdue. To truly honor Native peoples and our unique historical and contemporary place in American society, leaders, citizens, and even sports fans must step forward and act to end harmful "Indian" mascots once and for all. VIII. REFERENCES
APPENDIX A - Time Line of Race & Change - The Washington Football Team
As is noted in the following information, this level of racism, specifically connected with the Washington football team can be tracked in parallel with these very same systems which were in place to restrict the equal tights of African Americans - and are directly connected to theteam's original owner, George Preston Marshall.
• 1900 - The American Indian population is at an all-time low of 250,000, and is popularly known as the "Vanishing American." 1919 - Native veterans of WWI are rewarded with U.S. citizenship, while most American Indian people are not allowed to leave reservations without written permission and are punished for exercising their tribal traditions. • 1924 - The Indian Citizenship Act is signed into law, allowing Indian citizens tovote, while most Native peoples remain confinedto reservations and subjected to the "Civilization Regulations" that criminalized all traditional practices, dances, ceremonies, and ways. ,' "· i 1928 - Boston Braves football team created. Indian headdress logo adopted."° 1932 - Racial tension increases across United States as unemployment rate reaches 24% nationally. Halfof all black Americans unemployed. Slogans "No jobs for [N-word] until every white manhas a job" or "[N-word]s backto the cotton fields. Cityjobs are for white men." Between 1932-'33 reported lynching's rose from eight to 28.' "· ■ 1932 - George Preston Marshall buys the NFL team the Boston Braves from partners making him the sole owner. • 1932 - Boston Braves finish fourth as the newest team in NFL. Ticket sales for Braves games down as Great Depression continues. 193 3- Coach William "Lone Star" Dietz formally hired as Boston Braves coach. 1933 -In move to Fenway Park, Boston Braves - renamed Boston Redskns. 1933- NFL owners, including Marshall who is said to have the led effort, adopt "undeclared ban" excluding African-Americans from playing professional football. 1934- Purported Native American, "Lonestar" Dietz fired as coach of the Boston Redsk*ns after a year and a half - record as coach- 11 wins -11 loses. 1935 - The Roosevelt Administration withdraws "Civilization Regulations," ending over a half century of religious, cultural, and social repression of American Indians, removing criminal sanctions for dancing and conduction ceremonies and exercising traditional tribal ways. 1938 - After financial loses, Marshall moves Boston Redskns to Washington, DC. Team becomes Washington Redsk*ns. • 1946- NFL reintegrates after 13 year ban - African-American players signed by NFL teams, Washington Redskns does not sign African-American player for another 16 years. 1947 - Major League Baseball integrates - Jackie Robinson, first African-American since 1880's to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. 1954- United States Supreme Court rules in Brown v. Board of Education that public school segregation violates the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment • 1955-U.S. Supreme Court calls on lower courts to issue school desegregation orders. • 1956- White mobs attempt to block desegregation of high schools in Clinton Tennessee. Tennessee Governor Frank Clement orders the National Guard to restore order. • 1958 - Gallup poll - 94% of America disapproved of marriage between blacks and whites. 1959 - Marshall changes lyrics of team song from "fight for old D.C." to "Fight for old Dixie. 1961- President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity Commission established by President Kennedy in Executive Order 10925 to investigate racial discrimination by government contractors. 1961- In memo to President Kennedy, Interior Secretary Stewart Udall writes, "George Marshall of the Washington Redskns is the only segregationist hold-out in professional football. He refuses to hire Negro players even thought [sic] Dallas and Houston, Texas have already broken the color bar. The Interior Department owns the ground on which the new Washington Stadium is constructed, and we are investigating to ascertain whether a no-discrimination provision could be inserted in Marshall's lease." 1961- Marshal tells NY Times, "We take most of our players out of Southern colleges and are trying to appeal to Southern people ...Those colleges don't have any Negro players."23 1961-"American Nazi Party members ... demonstrated in D.C. with placards reading KEEP REDSKNS WHITE." • 1962 - Team owner Marshall says - "We'll start signing Negroes when the Harlem Globetrotters start signing whites." • 1962 - NFL and Interior come to agreement as Washington football team agrees to integrate by end of 1962. • 1962 - Washington Redskns become last team to "integrate" - African American players signed to team. 1963 - Dallas Texans renamed in move as the Kansas City Chiefs. No professional sports team has adopted a Native team name since. • 1964- Civil Rights Act of 1964 enacted. • 1967 - Washington football team establishes registered trademark for "Redskns". • 1968 - NCAI establishes campaign to address Native American stereotypes in print and other medía. • 1972 - NCAI and other organizations meet with team owner Edward Bennett Williams to ask for a name change - that was the last meeting any team owner ever had with Native people who oppose the team's name. 1989 - During the 1988 NFC championship game, Fans Against Indian Racism ("FAIR") sponsored a banner flown above RFK Stadium demanding: "MAKE WASHINGTON AMERICA'S TEAM. CHANGE THE NAME." 1992 - Super Bowl prompted four days of actions by approximately 3,000 Native Americans and their allies at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. • 1992 - Petition filed by seven Native plaintiffs, Harjo et al v. Pro Football, Inc. before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office' (PTO), requesting the cancelation of six trademark licenses the PTO granted to the Washington NFL franchise for the disparaging name, Red*kins. 1999 - The three-judge panel of the PTO's Trademark Trial and Appeal Boad (TTAB) rules in favor of the Native plaintiffs, finding that the Redkins trademark "may be disparaging of Native Americans to a substantial composite of this group of people," and "may bring Native Americans into contempt or disrepute." • 2003 - Federal District Court rules for Pro Football, Inc., on a technicality, laches, saying that each of the Native plaintiffs waited too long after turning 18 to file the lawsuit. • 2006 - Six Native American young people, ages 18 to 24,, file Blackhorse et al v. Pro Football, Inc., the identical petition before the U.S. PTO, which holds it in abeyance, pending the outcome of the Harjo case. • 2007 - The Native American Rights Fund filed an amici brief before the Court of Appeals for NCAI, the National Indian Education Association, the National Indian Youth Council and the Tulsa Indian Coalition Against Racism. • 2009 - NCAI filed an Amicus Brief along with four tribal governments (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Comanche Nation of Oklahoma, Oneida Indian tribe of Wisconsin, and Seminole Nation of Oklahoma), as well as over 20 national Indian organizations, requesting that the US Supreme Court hear an appeal to the lower court rulings to overturn the TTAB's decision. 2009 - United States Supreme Court denied writ of certiorari for review. Upholding lower court decisions to overturn US TTAB decision in revoking trademark. • 2013 - Three-judge panel of the TTAB holds hearing in Blackhorse case.. • 2013 - Mayor Vincent Gray stated that the team would need to consider a name change ifthey desired to move the footballteam into the district. (The Washington Football team currentlyplays its games in Landover, Maryland.) • 2013 - DC Councilman David Grasso offers a resolution calling fora name change to Red Tails to honor Tuskegee Airmen. • 2013- Dan Snyder refuses to change name of Redskns team, tellingthe USAToday, team will "NEVER" change its name. 2013 - H.R. 1278, legislation offered by bipartisan group of Representatives to address Washington football team trademark issue. 2013 - Slate, Mother Jones,the New Republic, and prominent reporters - Sports Illustrated's Peter King and USA Today sports writer Christine Brennan - drop the "R" word. 2013 - For the third time, the Washington Post editorial board calls for team to change the Washington football team name. • 2013 - President Barack Obama lends his support to the change effort noting the team's name is offensive to a "sizeable group of people" and raises "real and legitimate concerns."
APPENDIX B - TIMELINEOF SELECTED COLLEGE/UNIVERSITYMASCOT NAME CHANGES AND OTHER IMPORTANTEVENTS ADDRESSING "INDIAN" MASCOTS
+ # + « 1963 - The National IndianYouth Council forms and Clyde Warrior and others begin organizing on college campuses to remove "Indian" sports stereotypes, starting with the University of Oklahoma and its mascot, "Little Red."
1968 - NCAI organizes a national campaign to focus on ending "Indian" references in American sports.
1969 - The National Indian Education Association organizes Native educators, school board members, parents and students around removal of all "Indian" names, symbols and behaviors-associated with sports teams.
1970 - The University of Oklahoma retires its mascot, "Little Red," in use since the 1940s, becoming the frst school to stop the use of any "Native" sports stereotype.
1971- Marquette University in Wisconsin abandons its "Willie Wampum" mascot for "Chief White Buck" and then "First Warrior" and then "Warriors," and in 1994 ends all use of "Indian" names and imagery for the "Golden Eagles."
1972 - Dickenson State in Pennsylvania trades "Savages" for "Blue Hawks."
1973 - Stanford University in California drops its "Indians" team name and imagery, re-emphasizing its color, "Cardinals."
1973 - Eastern Washington University ended its "Savages" mascot and replaced it with "Eagles." 1974 -Dartmouth College in New Hampshire drops its "Indian" team name, re-emphasizing its color, "Big Green."
1975-St. Bonaventure University in New York ends the "Brown Squaw" name for the women's teams and 20 years later replaces "Brown Indian" with "Bonafanatic ."
1978 - Syracuse University in New York drops its "Onondaga chief, O-gee-ke-da Ho-achen-ga-da, the saltine warrior Big Chief Bill Orange," aka "Saltine Warrior" mascot and re-emphasizes its color, "Orange," which later becomes "Orange," the fruit.
1980 - Southern Oregon shortens "Red Raiders" to "Raiders."
1988- Siena College in New York changes "Indians" to "Saints," with "Measles" coming in a dose second in the student vote, following a school-wide epidemic of the disease.
1988 - St Mary's College changes "Red Men" to "Cardinals."
1989 - Brainerd Community College in Minnesota goes from "Red Raiders" to "Raiders."
1990- The Morning Star Institute, the Council of Elders and Youth and The 1992 Alliance issue a Callfor the Sports Industry and Advertising World to End the Emotional Violence Perpetuated on Native Youth by Mascots, Cartoons and Caricatures ofNative Peoples.
1991- Eastern Michigan change "Hurons" to "Eagles."
1992 - Simpson College ends "Redmen" and "Lady Reds" in favor of "Storm" and "Thundercats."
1994 - St John's University in New York, the largest Catholic university in the United States, changes its "Redmen" team name to "Red Storm."
1996- Miami University of Ohio drops its "Red*kins" team name for "RedHawks."
1996- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga stops using its mascot, "Chief Moccanooga"
1996 - Adams State University changes its mascot from "Indian" to "Grizzly."
1998 - Oklahoma City University gives up "Chiefs" for "Stars."
1998 - Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma replaces "Redkins" with "Crimson Storm."
1998 - Morningside College replaces its "Maroon Chiefs" with "Mustangs."
2000 - Seattle University changed its mascot from "Chieftains" to "Redhawks."
2001 - Southwestern College goes from the "Apaches" to the "Jaguars."
2001 -Cumberland College changes from "Indians" to "Patriots."
2001 - U.S. Commission on Civil Rights issues its "Statement on the Use of Native American Images and Nicknames as Sports Symbols."
2003 - The Native American Journalists Association issues its Reading Red Report 2003: A Callfor the News Medía to Recognize Racism in Sports Teams Nicknames and Mascots. 2005 - The NCAA announced a ban on the use of American Indian mascots during its postseasontournaments, finding that such mascots are hostile and abusive to Native people.
2005 - Stonehill College drops its "Chieftains" mascot for the "Skyhawk."
2006 - Northeastern State University changes from "Redmen" to "RiverLHawks."
2006 - Bradley University in Illinois stops using Native imagery, but retains "Braves."
2006 - Alcorn State University keeps "Braves" name, but discontinues use of "Indian" imagery.
2006 - The College of William & Mary was forced by the NCAA to drop the feathers from its logo; the College • had changed its team name from "Indians" to "Tribe" in the 1970s. . . . 2006 - University of Louisiana at Monroe trades "Indians" for "Warhawks."
2007 - The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign gets rid of its mascot, "Chief Illiniwek,"
« 2008 - The Arkansas State University replaced its mascot, "Indians," with "Red Wolves."
a 2013 - The University of North Dakota ended the long running conflicts over "Fighting Sioux," after all legal challenges were concluded in 2013 and after a statewide ballot initiative to keep the team name was defeated by a two-thirds no vote in 2012.
. . . APPENDIX C - 2009 US SUPREME COURT AMICUS BRIEF SUPPORTERS Groups that fled the 2009amicus brief in support of the petition for the case to be heard before the U.S. Supreme Court:
• National Congress ofAmerican Indians (NCAI) • Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma • Comanche Nation of Oklahoma • Oneida Indian Tribe ofWisconsin • Seminole Nation of Oklahoma • National Indian Education Association (NIEA) • National Indian Youth Council (NIYC) • National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) • American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) • American Indian College Fund (AICF) • National Native American Law Association (NNALSA) • Tulsa Indian Coalition Against Racism (TICAR) o Capitol Area Indian Resources (CAIR) • American Indian Studies - University of Illinois (Urbana Champaign) (AIS-UI) • Native American House (NAH) • Wisconsin Indian Education Association (WIEA) • Native Americans at Dartmouth (NAD) • Native Americans at Brown (NAB) • National Institute for Native Leadership in Higher Education (NINLHE) • Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE) • Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) • Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA) • Indigenous Democratic Network (INDN's List) • Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) • Alianza Indígena Sin Fronteras (Alianza) • International Indian Treaty Council (IITC)
APPENDIX D - GROUPS WITH RESOLUTIONS TO END HARMFUL MASCOTS Groups that have adopted resolutions calling for the retirement of Indian names and mascots in sports (list is not necessarily exhaustive):
• American College Personnel Association (ACPA) • American Counseling Association • American Psychological Association (APA) • Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muskogee, and Seminole Nations (Oklahoma) • Comanche Nation of Oklahoma • Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council • Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs • Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin • Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments - specifically Washington "Redskns" • Michigan State Board of Education • National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) • National Education Association • National Indian Education Association • Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs • New Hampshire State Board of Education • Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin • Oregon Indian Education Association (OIEA) • Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs • Washington State Board of Education • Wisconsin Education Association Council
APPENDIX E - GROUPS SUPPORTING END TO HARMFUL MASCOTS Organizations that have endorsed the retirement of Native American names, mascots and logos from sports (list is not necessarily exhaustive):
• Advocates for American Indian Children (California) • The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians • American Anthropological Association • American College Personnel Association • American Counseling Association • American Indian Mental Health Association (Minnesota) • American Indian Movement • American Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center of San Bernardino County • American Indian Student Services at the Ohio StateUniversity • American Jewish Committee • American Psychological Association • American Sociological Association •ii • Asian American Journalists Association - • Associated Students Council of San Diego State University Association on American Indian Affairs - • - - - - • BRIDGES - Building Roads Into Diverse Groups Empowering Students 'i « i ' , , · : • • Buncombe CountyNative American Intertribal Association (North Carolina) • Calvert Investment Group • Center for Artistic Revolution (CAR) (Arkansas) • Center for the Study of Sports in Society • Cincinnati Zapitista Coalition • COLOR - Community One Love One Race Committee to End Cultural Genocide (St. Cloud State University) • £ 1··· • • Concerned American Indian Parents (Minnesota) • Council for Indigenous North Americans (University of Southern Maine) • Eagle and Condor Indigenous Peoples' Alliance • Fontana Native American Indian Center, Inc. Governor's Interstate Indian Council . . . • ·« G e '..y } • • Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (Michigan) • Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission • Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council • Gun Lake Band of Potawatomi Indians (Michigan) • HONOR - Honor Our Neighbors Origins and Rights • Hutchinson Human Relations Commission • Illinois State University Student Government Association • Inter-Ethnic Children's Council (Los Angeles) • Inter-Faith Council on Corporate Responsibility (!CCR) • Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes • (Composed of the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muskogee (Creek), Cherokee, and Seminole Nations) • Juaneño Band of Mission Indians • Kansas Association for Native American Education • Latino Children's Action Council (Los Angeles) • League of United Latin American Citizens • Little River Band of Ottawa Indians • Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs • Mascot Abuse San Francisco Bay Area • Medicine Wheel lntertribal Association • Menominee Tribe of Indians (Wisconsin) • Michigan Civil Rights Commission • Michigan Education Association • State of Michigan, State Board of Education • Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments - specifically Washington "Redskins" • Minnesota Indian Education Association • Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board • Minnesota State Board of Education • Modern Language Association • Morning Star Institute • National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) • National Association of Black Journalists • National Association of Hispanic Journalists • National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media • National Conference of Christians and Jews • National Conference for Community and Justice • National Congress of American Indians • National Education Association • National Indian Education Association • Native American Caucus of the California Democratic Party • Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio • Native American Journalists Association • Native American Rights Fund • Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs • New Hampshire State Board of Education • New York State Education Department • Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi (Michigan) • North American Society for the Sociology of Sport • North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs • North Dakota Indian Education Association • North Dakota State University Student Senate • Office of Native American Ministry, Diocese of Grand Rapids (Michigan) • Ohio Center for Native American Affairs • Oneida Tribe oflndians of Wisconsin • Oregon Indian Education Association • Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. • Progressive Resource/Action Cooperative • Rainbow Coalition • San Bernardino/Riverside Counties Native American Community Council • Students Making All Races Tolerant (SMART) • Society oflndian Psychologists of the Americas • Southern California Indian Center • Southern Christian Leadership Conference • St. Cloud State University - American Indian Center • Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians • Standing Rock Sioux Tribe • Tennessee Chapter of the National Coalition for the Preservation ofindigenous Cultures • Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs • Tennessee Native Veterans Society • Unified Coalition for American Indian Concerns, Virginia • Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations • United Church of Christ • The United Indian Nations of Oklahoma • United Methodist Church • United States Commission on Civil Rights • Virginia American Indian Cultural Resource Center • Washington State Board of Education • Western North Carolina Citizens for an End to Institutionalized Bigotry • Wisconsin Education Association Council • Wisconsin Indian Education Association • WIEA "Indian" Mascot and Logo Taskforce (Wisconsin) • Wisconsin State Human Relations Association • Woodland Indian Community Center-Lansing (Michigan) • Youth "Indian" Mascot and Logo Taskforce (Wisconsin) END NOTES
1 American Indian Social Representations: Do They Honor or Constrain American Indian Identities? Stephanie A Fryberg, Stanford University. 2004. http://www.indianmascots.com/ex 15 - fryberg brown v.pdf
2 Native Youth Suicide - http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/features/ser-7-3-213.pdf; http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwOrk.com/2013/01/17/alaska-natives-tackle-youth-suicide• lessons-land-147028
3 Bureau of Justice Statistics - A BJS Statistical Profile, 1992-2002 - American Indians and Crime • http://www.bis.gov/content/pub/pdf/aic.pdf
+ 2005 NCAI Resolution in Support of NCAA Ban on Harmful Mascots • http://www.ncai.org/resources/resolutions/support-for-ncaa-ban-on-indian-mascots
s NCAI Amicus Brief, 2009 http://www.ncai.org/resources/legal briefing/suzan-s-harjo-et-al-petitioners--pro-football-inc• respondent-brief-of-amici-curiae-national-congress-of-american-indians-et-a]-in-support-of-the• petition-for-awrit-of-certiorari
6 U.S. Commission on Civil Rights statement on Harmful Mascots: http://wwwusccr.gov/press/archives /2001/041601st.htm
7 American Psychological Association on Indian Mascots http://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/indian-mascots.aspx
8 American Sociological Association policy statement http: //www.asanet.org/about/Council Statements /use of native american nicknames logos and ma scots.cfrn
9 NAACP 1999 Resolution http://www.aistm.org/naacp 1999 resolution.htm
10 NCAA Mascot Policy http://nmai.si.edu/sites/1 /files /pdf/seminars-symposia INCAA-Mascot-P olicy.pdf
11 NCAI Resolution in Support of NCAA Ban on Harmful Mascots http://www.ncai.org/resources/resolutions/support-for-ncaa-ban-on-indian-mascots
12 NCAA Announcement of Mascot Policy, 2005 http://fs.ncaa.Org/DOCS/PresSArchive/2005/Announcement /NCAA%2BExecutive%2BCommittee%2 BIsSues%2BGuidelines%2Bfor%2BUse%2B0f%2BNatüve%2BAmerican%2BMASC0ts%2Bat%2BCham pionship%2BEvents.html
13 NCAA Press Release on Process for Namesake Exception, 2005 http://fs.ncaa.Org/Doc/Pres$Archive/2005/AnnouncementS /NCAA%2BExecutive%2BCommittee%2 BApproves%2BNative%2BAmerican%2BMASct%2BAppeals92BProcess.html 14 North Dakota voters overwhelmingly reject 'Fighting Sioux' nickname. by Aaron Blake, Washington Post. June 13, 2012. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/north-dakota-voters• overwhelmingly-reject-fighting-sioux-nickname/2012/06/13/g]QALGXZV blog.html t o » t » «
15 Review: A 'Showdown' over the racist Washington Redskins. http://www.indianz.com/News/2011/0037.26.asp ~ . - -:. ..., - . .
.-. · , l. ,1 ir . 16 See GEORGE A. BRAY III, SCALPING DURING THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR, at http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/1998/scalping.html ; JOHN FRANCIS SPRAGUE, A Proclamation - Indians, 7 SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY 47 (May June July 1919) (A 1755 - t • - • • •· • -- \ ' - • •• • • •• : • Proclamation encouraged scalping as a means ofproviding valid "evidence" of having killed a Native American man, woman, or child).
17 George Preston Marshall's Strange Fruit, BY JULIAN JOHNSON (CORRESPONDENT) ON MAY 7, 2009 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/169766-george-preston-marshalls-strange-fruit
18 Outside the Lines: African Americans and the Integration ofthe National Football League, by Charles K. Ross, New York: New York University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-8147-7495-4. ,
19- Racial Innocence: Performing American Childhood from Slavery to Civil Rights By Robin Bernstein - Slavery in American Children's Literature, 1790-2010, By Paula T. Connolly . . . . ~. .. . . ; .,_ . ... --..-· . "" ..
70 Are You Ready For Some Controversy? The History Of 'Redskin' by LAKSHMI GANDHI, NPR CODE SWITCH, September 09, 2013 , .. ·, http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/09/09/220654611/are-you-ready-for-some• controversy-the-history-of-redskins'
" Showdown: JFK and the Integration of the Washington Redskins, by Thomas G. Smith, Beacon Press, 2011
22 The Racist Redskins NOVEMBER 10, 2011 Michael Tomasky, The NY Review of Books http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/now/10/racist-redskins/?pagination=false
23 Fifty Years Ago, Last Outpost of Segregation in N.F.L. Fell, New York Times, By RYAN BASEN Published: October 6, 2012 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/07/sports/football/50-years-ago• redskins-were-last-nfl-team-to-integrate.html?pagewanted=al]& r=0
24 October 12, 2009, Marshall Law, Wolff http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1161018/
25 The Redskins Encyclopedia By Michael Richman, page 87.
26 History of team logos: http://www.sportslogos.net/logos/list by team/168/Washington Redskins/
27 Pressure Mounts for Washington Redskins to Drop Offensive Team Name, Atlanta BlackStar, May 30, 2013, by Nick Chiles http://atlantablackstar.com/2013 /05/30/pressure-mounts-for-the• washington-redskins-to-drop-offensive-team-nickname/ 28 http://www.ncai.org/resources/legal briefing/suzan-s-harjo-et-al-petitioners-v-pro-footba]]-inc• respondent-brief-of-amici-curiae-national-congress-of-american-indians-et-al-in-support-of-the• petition-for-awrit-of-certiorari
° The other Redskins, Capital New Service, by Kelyn Soong http://cnsmaryland.org/interactives/redskins-map /index.html
30 Daniel Snyder says Redskins will never change name, Erik Brady, USA TODAY Sports, May 10, 2013 http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/redskins/2013/05/09/washington-redskins-daniel• snyder/2148127 /
31 Goodell on Redskins name: "If one person is offended, we have to listen" http: (/profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013 / 09 /11/goodell-on-redskins-name-if-one-person-is• offended-we-have-to-listen /
32 NFL reiterates "respect" for opposition to Redskins name http: (/profootballtalk.nbcsp orts. com /2 O13 / 1 O/O6 /nfl-reiterates-respect-for-opposition-to-redskins• name/
33 Monk, Green: Mull name change http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/ /id/9502056/art-monk-darrell• green-washington-redskins-mull-change
3+ Brennan: It's time I stopped calling team 'Redskins' http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl /2 013 /09 /11 /christine-brennan-washington-nfl• team/2802075 I
35 New Yorker Article MAY 10, 2013 REDSKINS FOREVER? POSTED BY IAN CROUCH http: //www.newyorker.com/online /blogs/sportingscene/2013/05 /redskins-football-name• controversy.html
3AP-GfK poll: 4 in 5 Americans say don't change Redskins nickname; 11 percent say change it http://ap-gfkpoll.com/featured/our-latest-story-2
3 Washington Redskins name: Washington Post poll finds most D.C. area fans support it http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/washington-redskins-name-washington-post-poll• finds-most-dc-area-fans-support-it/2013/06/24/84bc2d0e-dd03-11e2-a484- 7b7f79cd66a1 story.html @he aslyington post Democracy Dies in Darkness
Opinion: Dear Dan Snyder: Don't pick a new native• inspired team name
Opinion by Kevin Gover
July 8, 2020 at 2:12 p.m. CDT
Kevin Gover is the director ofthe Smithsonian's National Museum ofthe American Indian and a citizen ofthe Pawnee Tribe ofOklahoma.
On Friday, Washington football team owner Daniel Snyder announced that the team will engage in a thorough review of its name- a name I refuse to repeat since it is the dictionary definition of a racial slur. Social media has since been abuzz with proposed replacement names, including some alleged to honor this country's indigenous peoples.
Do us a favor, Mr. Snyder. Don't pick a new, native-inspired name or mascot that references our culture. Being your mascotis not an honor, nor does it honor the braveryof native people. In fact, it would be doubling down on the way your team has mocked our history and culture, reinforced stereotypes and promoted prejudice. It would further harm the self-esteem ofAmerican Indian young people and undermine the educational experiences of all communities especially those who have had little or no contact with indigenous peoples. Andit would distract from real life-or-death challenges American Indians face today, such as the disappearance of an untold number of American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls under suspicious circumstances; the disproportionate number of our brothers and sisters affected by the novel coronavirus; and the fact that NativeAmericans are more likely to be killed in police shootings than other people.
Snyder's about-face comes against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement and as the country confronts its shameful past relating to black Americans, indigenous Americans and people of color. It coincides with the removal of Confederate battle flags and statues, and companies retiring images that are based on racial stereotypes.
Let's be honest: Snyder did not undergo some spontaneous moral enlightenment that moved him offhis 2013 promise that he would "NEVER" change the team's name. Rather, he had little choice once major sponsor FedEx asked the team to change its name and D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser said the name is an obstacle to the team returning to a new stadium in the city. Pressure on the team continued on Saturday when The Post's editorial board reiterated its previous call for a name change, saying "Every time the R-word is used, something disrespectful is happening."
Reporting suggests that fans favor new names along the lines of "Warriors" or "Braves," assuming they would honor Native Americans in general and native veterans in particular. But adopting any variation on that theme will ve.theoppo "" lde 3, $@gis$ si#aj epainting.t ddr Forces since the American Revolution and hold a special place in our tribal cultures.
Among the things we have learned from the Black Lives Matter movement is that merely speaking out against racism is not enough. We need to aggressively oppose racism every time we see or hear it. As a Native American e director of one of the Smithsonian museums, I feel a special responsibility to practice anti-racism. As Secretary Lonnie Bunch III said when he became the leader of our institution: "It's crucial for us to model the behavior, ~ • model the expectations, model the hopes that we want for the rest of the country." Snyder now has the opportunity to do something truly important leading up to this year's NFL season- not just by ' • • I ) • • changing the name and mascot of the hometown team, but also by setting an example for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago Blackhawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Braves and the hundreds of schools across the country that continue to maintain their own teams' racistnames and mascots. Mr. Snyder, you can lead ifyou choose to do so.
Defeating racism is the work of generations. As individuals, we may not live to see the end of racism, but we can • build on the work of our ancestors by devoting our lives to fighting it at every opportunity. Throughout my career• as a lawyer, as assistant secretary for Indian affairs and as a museum director - I have done what I can to spare my own children the pain ofseeing professional sportsmake a mockery of our culture. While this moment of change may have come too late to spare them, perhaps the home team cando the right thing formygrandchildren.
Read more:
Mike Wise: TheWashington football team can't duckand run on its name ever again
The Post's View: Change the name of the Washington NFL team. Now.
Karen Attiah: Monuments of white supremacy obscure the history of colonial crimes. That's why they must come down.
Karyn Olivier: Removing an offensive mural from the University of Kentucky isn't 'racial justice'
Helaine Olen: Renaming John Wayne Airport shouldn't be a hardcall
toeo 2009-05: Elimination of Race-Based Indian Logos, Mascots, and Names
October 10, 2009
WHEREAS, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1970 for the purpose of advocating, planning, and promoting the unique and special educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians; and
WHEREAS, NIEA as the largest national Indian organization of American Indian, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiian educators, administrators, parents and students in the United States, provides a forum to discuss and act upon issues affecting the education of Indian and Native people; and
WHEREAS, through its' unique relationship with Indian nations and tribes, the federal government has established programs and resources to meet the educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Nativeand Native Hawaiians, residing on and off their reserved or non-reserved homelands; and
WHEREAS, self-representational use of American Indian logos, mascots and names remain a cherished tradition in many American Indian communities; and
WHEREAS, NIEA has advocated on this issue has resolutions, providing legal briefs, and forums organizing networks on Indian educators as advocates;and
WHEREAS, years of advocacy on this issuehas resulted in the elimination of Indian logo, mascot, and name • ·, symbolism from hundreds of educational facilities across the nation; and
WHEREAS, educational institutions choosing to use race• based Indian logos, mascots, and namesharm children, exposing graduating class after graduating class to these stereotypes, and indoctrinating them with the idea that it is unacceptable to stereotypes an entire race of people; and
WHEREAS, institutions choosing to retain such imagery negatively impacts students, faculty, and parents from others schools by exposing them to race-based imagery in interscholastic competitions;and
WHEREAS, the limited and sparse representations of American Indians in media and popular culture comprise a significant portion of what children learn about American Indian people and therebyimpact the identity formation of Native students while reinforcing stereotypes about American Indian cultures, past and present; and
WHEREAS, there is a growing base of support calling for the elimination of Indian logos, mascots and names as evidenced by endorsement from professional organizations, like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and sports regulatory agencies, i.e. National Collegiate Athletic Association;and
WHEREAS, research conducted by Stephanie A Frybergfinds;
• Exposure to race-based Indian stereotypes harms American Indian students,
• Attractive stereotypes cause as much harm as cartoon caricatures,
American Indian students who approve the use of Indian logos, mascots and names experience more harm than do American Indian students who oppose the use of such imagery.
• Euro-Americans experience a boost of self-esteem when exposed to the same-raced based Indian stereotypes; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Fryberg's research has been expanded upon and replicated in the socialpsychological arena and the research base has grown in other academic fields; and
WHEREAS, educational institutions should not be the vehicles of institutionalized racism.
Now therefore be it resolved that the National Indian Education Association calls for the immediate elimination of race-based Indian logos, mascots, and names from educational institutions throughout the based Indian logos, mascots, and names from educational institutions in the elimination of these stereotypes.
9 in 9 d 3 PREVIOUS 2009-04: Expansion of State Pre-Kindergarten Legislation to Include Provisions for Native American Language Immersion Preschools NEXT 2009-06: In Support of NIEA, in Partnership with TEDNA and in Preparing for NIEA's Recommendations Regarding the Reauthorization ofthe ESEA/NCLB
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More than a word Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69iH1LOIEFc
Proud to be (Mascots) https://www.youtube.com/watch?y=mR-tbQxdhyE
Four Perspectives: Native American Mascots Nov.2013 20 min.30 sec. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPRHh7HIYT4
Missing the Point: The Real Impact of Team Names on American Indian and Alaska Native Youth • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxnW9B14pvA
Native American Mascot Debate https://wwwy.youtube.com/watch?y=2GnB23g9Rc
Mascots- NMAI Symposium (Five video clips) https://americanindian.si.edu/online-resources/mascots
Mascots, Monuments, and Memorialization https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/student-programs/recorded-student-webinars
Native American 101 (Time lline) http://civilrightsdocs.info/video/Native-Student-Webinar.mp4
Do Native American mascots honor or offend? Words from CEO NMAI from USA Today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enjpW9ay06I
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Most non-Indians don't know a great deal about the first peoples of the Americas, Mr. Fleming avers. But what's worse is that much of what they do "know" is wrong.
HEN IT comes to Americans'
BY WALTER C. FLEMING
knowledge about Native Amer ican' culture and history, one might say there are two types of people those who know nothing about Natives and those who know less than that. That's not exactly true, but most Amer icans are not very familiar with the first peoples of the Ameri cas. Though some might argue that it is wholly unneces sary to have any knowledge about Native peoples, most would probably agree that some exposure to Native per spectives is a good thing for students. And Americans prob ably believe that it is the responsibility of the public educa tion system to provide that exposure. Because many people have such a limited have about Indians does not come from direct knowledge of Indians, we are, arguably, among the experience. What people know is limited by their most misunder stood ethnic groups in the United sources of information and, unfortunately, much of States. Native Americans are also among the most the information about Indians is derived from popular isolated groups. Thus the know! edge that most people culture. Even in areas where the concentration of Native relying on stereotypes to describe Native Americans, peo ples is high say, in the West - most people do whites come to believe that Indians are drunks, get not know very much about the history and culture of free money from the government, and are made the first citizens of their region. Even if non-Indians are wealthy from casino revenue. Or they may believe that familiar with lndi ans, the impressions they have of Indians are at one with nature, deeply religious, and Native people can be wise in the ways of spirituality. I do not intend to dispel all of the stereotypes or WALTER C. FLEMING (Kickapoo) is a professor and head address all of the many myths about Native peoples; of the Department of Native American Studies at Montana State Uni versify, Bozeman, and author of The Complete instead, I'd like to offer my perspective on the most Idiot's Guide to Native American History (Alpha, 2003). important consid erations that teachers and others quite negative. In fact, in states like Montana, the ¡ might keep in mind when assessing curriculum, i expres sion "familiarity breeds contempt" is descriptive + developing lesson plans, or teaching Indian children. of the ten sions between Native and non-Native Many of these myths may seem ridiculous, even silly, people. but each one is encountered by Native people Stereotyping is a poor substitute for getting to know in dividuals at a more intimate, meaningful level. By
NOVEMBER 2006 213 on an almost daily basis. ourselves. In my own case, I'm likely to use Native, Myth 1. Native Americans prefer to be called Native American, Indian, and American Indian quite Native Americans. One of the most significant interchangeably, some times even in the same conversations with students seems to be the most sentence. basic. The first question peo ple often ask me, as a But all of these terms have one thing in common. Native person, is, "What do you want to be called?" They imply that there is some meaning to be derived Often, this is asked in the interest of political from the term of choice, whatever that might be. For correctness, but as often it is a sincere question. There example, the terms "American Indian jewelry" or are several choices- including "Native American," "Native American re ligion" in reality do not convey "American Indian," and "Native" and good much information about more than 500 cultural beliefs arguments for, or against, using any one of these. or practices. Does "Euro pean" suggest a common "Native American" seems to be the preference in history, culture, or desire? Does "Asian" mean that all aca demic circles. In my own writing or lectures, I am those rich traditions can be so easily described? accus tomed to using "Native American" in reference As much as possible, I try to use tribal names, to the first peoples of this country (although in when known. Thus Squanto and Massasoit were conversation I'm more likely to use "American Indian" Wampanoag leaders, and Sitting Bull was Hunkpapa or "Indian"). I am unapol ogetic in my use of these Lakota. Though they can. be referred to as "Indian" terms and don't find it necessary to spend lots of time leaders, common sense suggests that these (save in this article) explaining to others why I do, or individuals had little in common. do not, use one term or another. Educators speak often about "teachable moments." "American Indian" and the shortened version, Per haps the. discussion about what terms to use in "Indian," have long been the subject of debate. Some reference to Native peoples can be part of a wider Natives point out that the term "Indian" is an unhappy discussion about legacy of Christo pher Columbus' so-called discovery identity in America. Certainly, there are common and that the term is, therefore, a legacy of the points about the use of terms like Hispanic, Asian subsequent colonization of the lands of the Native Americans, African Americans, and so on that can be peoples of the Americas. productive in trying to understand this creature called In Canada, the term most widely used to describe "American." abo riginal people is "Native." Again, as with "Native Myth 2. Indians get special privileges. One Ameri can," one can argue that we are all natives of stereotype strongly held in Indian Country by our respec tive countries of affiliation. non-Indians is that In dians receive special privileges This discussion does not have any resolution. We, that other American citi zens do not. The 7 June 2006 as Na tive people, are quite schizophrenic about it electronic edition of the Find lay (Ohio) Courier shared assertions are based upon half-truths. Suppose it is this editorial opinion: true that Natives receive financial support for education. According to re cent data, 63% of all It's long been apparent that the laws granting Na live American tribes sovereign nation status undergraduate students in the United States received were a huge mistake. Rather than improving the financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, lives of na live people, the laws have created a subsidized loans, and work/study.' The majority of state of depend ency in which the tribes are these students are, in fact, non-Indians. Yet no one neither truly sovereign nor fully a part of the claims that these non-Indian students are getting a larger nation. They are essen tially wards of the federal government. They receive some special "free education." privileges designed to advance their welfare or Native students qualify for these same sources of maintain their native culture, but for the most fund ing. They may receive scholarships from their part, the laws have made dependent victims of tribes or, as low-income students, qualify for federal people who should have been integrated into the Pell Grants. Some states offer fee waivers to Native larg er culture. students, but they also offer similar waivers to medical The editorial concluded, "We've foolishly allowed students, war orphans, sen ior citizens, dependents of the Native Americans special tribal privileges, which prisoners of war, National Merit Scholarship has bene fited neither them nor the nation as a semifinalists, and so on. The public seems to accept whole." the propriety of granting waivers to children of Viet The Courier editorial did not describe what those nam veterans but calls Indian fee waivers "special privi "spe cial tribal privileges" might be. But from long leges." It is understandable then that many Natives experience, I can surmise that the writer meant consider the protests about these so-called special education, medical care, and money, all for free. privileges to be based on race. Moreover, many believe that Native peoples do not Those who are concerned about "special privileges" do pay taxes. The reality is more complicated, and these
214 PHI DELTA KAPPAN not understand the nature of the relationship between the "vanishing red man." There is a well-known bronze Na tive tribes and the American federal government. sculpture titled "End of the Trail," by James Earle Tribes signed treaties with the federal government that Fraser (circa 1918), which shows a dispirited warrior grant cer tain rights in exchange for the cession of astride an equally dejected war pony. He seems land. Therefore, many of these "privileges" are threatened by extinction. At the time of the ere ation of considered treaty obliga tions. In the many treaties the sculpture, population estimates for Native peo ples that tribes signed with the feder al government were showed that the American Indian population was, in provisions that the government would provide deed, on the decline. Census data for the year 1900 education and health care to the tribes in exchange for enu merated approximately 237,000 Native the millions of acres of tribal lands. So education and Americans, Eskimo, and Aleut peoples, thought to be health care have been "bought and paid for" by Native the nadir since 1820.5 ancestors. As of 1 July 2003, the estimated number of people Some tribal members are indeed exempt from who were American Indians and Alaska Natives or some tax es. The reason is logical and legal. Federal American Indian and Alaska Native in combination reservations are not part of the states in which they with one or more other races was approximately 4.4 reside. Therefore, some American Indians who live million.This is hardly a sign of a dying race. and work on a reservation do not pay state taxes. But Myth 4. American Indians are easily identifiable. they pay other taxes, such as fed eral income taxes.· In truth, not all American Indians fit the physical Myth 3. American Indians are a dying race. I met stereotype. Not all are dark skinned (and none actually some one once who asked about my racial identity. I have red skin) with high cheekbones and black hair replied, 'Tm a member of the Kickapoo tribe." He tied up in braids. Some Indian people are blond-haired exclaimed, "I thought they were all dead!" This would and blue-eyed. Some have the features of African certainly be news to my 1,600 fellow tribal members, Americans. but it does illustrate that many believe in the myth of An Indian child in the classroom may, by appearance, look like all the others. It is best not to communities, and nationally, because many Native make assumptions about ethnic identity solely from people and organizations say these portrayals are outward appearance. Even if the child is Native, he or offensive and demeaning. More troubling is that many she is first an individual. people do not understand why Indian people find Myth 5. All American Indians live on a these characterizations offensive. s reservation. Ac cording to the U.S. Census Bureau, The arguments about mascots and nicknames 538,300 American lndi ans and Alaska Natives, alone cannot be resolved here. However, it is important to or in combination with one or understand the issues. The obvious offenders use more other races, live on reservations or other trust offensive images of Na tive people, such as the lands.7 This also includes those who live on historic Cleveland Indians caricature, Chief Wahoo, which Native lands in Ok lahoma and state reservation many will recognize as a buck-toothed, lands. In all, 57% of Ameri can Indians and Alaska fire-engine-red-skinned figure with a huge nose and = Natives live in metropolitan areas. grin to match. It is true, however, that in some states in the West like Montana, South Dakota, Arizona, New Mexico, NOVEMBER 2006 215 and Utah the majority of Native people do live on or The Cleveland baseball organization contends that near an Indian reservation. Chief Wahoo is meant to be a tribute to Louis Francis Myth 6. Native people intuitively know their Sockalexis, a member of the Penobscot tribe who was culture and history. Native children are not born with the first Ameri can Indian to play professional baseball. an intimate knowledge of their heritage. That may The club insists that Chief Wahoo is only a caricature seem silly to say, but teachers sometimes assume that and is not meant to degrade Indian people. Yet this a Native child in the classroom is the gateway to caricature, in its present form, is insulting to Native indigenous information. Our children must learn their Americans. Sadly, many will not reach that conclusion native language as well as the stories, cultural simply by looking at the logo in question. practices, and ideals of their people just as we, their Because it is difficult for non-Indians to understand parents, learned them. the Native perspective on this issue, activists have had Sadly, some Native children know nothing of their to rely on non-Indians' familiarity with and sensitivities tribal cultures, for a variety of reasons. Some come to other ethnic cultures. One particularly effective from families in which the parents are members of cartoon shows four team logos. One is the Cleveland different tribes. Some parents do not know their own Indians logo; the others are logos for the fictional cultures because they were products of the boarding Cleveland Asians, Cleve land Africans, and Cleveland school system that discouraged traditional customs Hispanics. Each shows a car toon figure grinning, and traditions.• literally from ear to ear, with enor mous nose and A well-intended teacher may call on a Native child teeth." There would be no question that African to supply information about Indian culture or history. Americans, Hispanics, and people of Asian de scent The teach er may feel that giving the child center would find these logos extremely objectionable. So stage will enhance his or her self-confidence. Yet the why, in the face of obvious objections from Native peo teacher may be acting on invalid assumptions. First, ple and their assertion that they do not feel "honored," the child may not know his or her own language, is this symbol allowed to represent the Cleveland history, or heritage.• Second, some tribes value baseball team? Most commonly, the defense of the discretion and the non-disclosure of some as pects of logo is that it's a cartoon, not a "real" Indian. Others tribal life. Third, some Native students feel that they support Chief Wahoo in defiance of what they believe cannot speak for anyone other than themselves. And, is political correctness gone too far. Finally, there's the finally, traditional cultures sometimes teach that a child rationalization that "my best friend's cousin's should not attempt to "outshine" his or her peers. SO Brother-in-law is one-fourth Cherokee, and he doesn't it's best not to put a Native child on the spot.1º think there's anything wrong with Chief Wahoo." Myth 7. American Indians feel honored by Indian Some Natives find the names Cleveland Indians mas cots. There are elementary and secondary and Washington Redskins to be likewise schools, colleges, and universities that have adopted objectionable. Cer tainly, no African American would Indian mascots, nick names, and symbols. A number want to play for a team called the "Cleveland of these schools have come under scrutiny in their Sambos." 1. The terms Native American, American Indian, Indian, Native, and so on are used interchangeably and refer to aboriginal peoples of MOVING BEYOND STEREOTYPES the United States and their descendants. 2. In legal terms, "Indian Country" refers to Indian reservations, Stereotypes, some believe, have a basis in reality. Indian communities, and Indian allotments (U.S. Code, Title 18, Part I, Chapter 53, $ 1151). In general usage, it refers to reservations, They can be a product of oversimplification, regions, states, and communities where there is a significant Native exaggeration, or generalization. Their harm is that population. they define an individ ual by attributes ascribed to the 3."Courier Editorials: Sovereignty," Findlay (Ohio) Courier, 7 June group as a whole. So the stereotype that American 2006, www.thecourier.com/templateslopinionleditorials/editorials.asp. 4. Indians are doomed to become alcoholics obviously "Demographic and Financial Aid Data for the U.S. and Minnesota," colors one's impression of the many who do not drink Minnesota Office of Higher Education, retrieved 21 June 2006 from www.ohe.state.mn.us. alcohol at all." So, too, the stereotype of all American 5. Walter C. Fleming, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Native Indians as "spiritual" even though this may be American History (New York: Alpha Books, 2003), p. 290. perceived as a positive image does not encom 6. "American Indians and Alaska Natives Number 4.4 Million," pass the beliefs or practices of all individuals. Interna tional Information Programs, U.S. Department of State, retrieved 10 July 2006 from http://usinfo.state.gov. The challenge for educators is how we get beyond 7.1bid. stereo typing. The answers are complex but must 8. Captain Richard C. Pratt, founder of the Indian Boarding School surely include more than adding a sidebar to a social Sys tern, encapsulated the ideals of that educational philosophy when he said, "A great general has said that the only good Indian is studies text or in a dead one, and that high sanction of his destruction has been an enormous factor in promoting Indian massacres. In a sense, l agree with the sentiment, but only in this: that all the Indian there is in the 216 PHI DELTA KAPPAN race should be dead. Kill the Indian in him, and save the man." eluding a Native American unit around Thanksgiving. 9. Native languages are in jeopardy. The U.S. Census Bureau John Watts has suggested the following "best reports that 71.8% of all American Indians and Alaska Natives speak only English at home. See "We the People: American Indians practices" for those teaching Native students at the and Alaska Natives in the United States," CENSR-28, February college level, 'They are also applicable to teachers of 2006, http://www.census.gov. Indian people at any level. 10. For more on dealing with Indian children in the classroom, see John Watts, "Native American Students," Teaching Learning • Practice personal warmth plus high Committee, Mon lana State University, Bozeman, 2003, expectations. • Respect cultural differences. www.montana.edu/teachlearn/ Papers (click on "culteralsens.html"). • Learn the cultural resources of your 11. For a downloadable representation of the cartoon, see www. students. • Develop multiple instructional bluecorncomics.com/pics/auth.gif. 12. Sherman Alexie (Spokane/Coeur d'Alene) notes that, though the approaches. • Be aware of the ways you ask al coholism rate among Native Americans is higher than in the questions. general population, more Indians do not drink at all than in the • Remember that some students do not like to be general popula tion (The Writer's Voice Community Reading, Billings, Montana, 1 No vember 1994). "spot lighted" in front of a group. 13. John Watts, op. cit. • Be aware of proximity preferences how close is 14. Recommended sources that offer discussion, tips, and comfortable? curriculum ideas on stereotyping include: Office of the . Superintendent of Public In struction, The Indian in the Classroom: Such suggestions are common sense. There are Readings for the Teacher with Indian Students (Helena: Montana many excellent resources for educating children about Department of Education, 1972); Devon A. stereo typing, but the key is awareness." Learning Mihesuah, American Indians: Stereotypes and Realities (Atlanta: Clarity Press, 1996); and Council on Interracial Books for Children, about other cul tures, their histories, and their beliefs "stereotyp ing of Native Americans," Native Nevada Classroom, gives students a basis for judgment that goes beyond University of Nevada, Reno, www.unr.edu/nnap/NT/i-8_9.htm. K generalizations.
Indian Education for All: THROUGH OUR OWN EYES Building on Yesterday, Looking to Tomorrow
1TH THE return of Montana's
BY CAROL JUNEAU
Today, Indian people are again hopeful that their his K-12 public school students to direction. classrooms across the state this Indian people have understood for a great many fall, teachers are presenting new years that it is only by educating our young people and exciting instructional pro that we can reclaim our history and only through grams. Students are learning culturally respon sive education that we will preserve about American Indians, in par our cultural integrity. Through IEFA, non-Indian ticular those in Montana. Teach children will also grow to un derstand and respect the ers from the smallest one-room schools to our largest significance of these issues in the lives of their Indian ur ban schools will incorporate into all curriculum peers. When the law is fully im plemented, K-12 areas con tent about Montana's 12 tribes - their students will learn an accurate and au thentic history history, govern ment systems, fine arts, oral of our state from all perspectives.
traditions, and contempo rary issues. CAROL JUNEAU (Mandan/Hidatsa) is the state It is an exciting time in Montana for everyone who representative for Montana's House District 85. has worked diligently for so many years to breathe tory and culture will be respected by our education life into the constitutional promise made in 1972. sys terns so that Indian students in any K-12 school Indian Educa tion for All (IEFA) has traveled a long or college in Montana will see themselves reflected in and winding road. At times it has been a smooth trail textbooks. We are optimistic that non-Indian students filled with high expec tations. At other points, there will recog nize diverse cultural heritages and know were unexpected corners and challenging hills to how Indians con tribute to modern Montana. We are overcome. We even ran out of gas a few times or got confident that all stu dents will learn about the impact stuck in some muddy ruts, where we spun our of Lewis and Clark on our state's land and future; wheels. Most important, on several occasions, we that Indian leaders will be re spected when U.S. had to carve out our own road and provide a new leaders are discussed; that treaties made with Indian nations will be recognized as being as valid as those accurate understanding of American Indian his tory made with foreign countries; that Native contributions and contemporary issues. to science, astronomy, and medicine will be included In 20 to 25 years, perhaps a new group of in science curricula; that Native music will be Montana legislators will come together and debate all included in school concerts; that Native languages sorts of is sues with mutual respect. Perhaps they, will be taught; and that all teachers, whether Indian too, will make knowledgeable decisions on behalf of or non Indian, will be knowledgeable about American all Montana citi zens. Indians. We have traveled far and wide across Montana to This inclusion in the classroom validates the see IEFA become a reality in classrooms. Though it cultural in tegrity of Indian people. It assures Indian has been a difficult journey, we have endured the students that they belong and that their school bumps and break downs for the most valuable system respects all facets of their learning. It will, I reason to grant our chil dren a better, more hope, also improve the future of In dian students, promising life than our own. K because all students in Montana will gain a true and
NOVEMBER 2006 217 File Name and Bibliographic Information
k0611fle.pdf Walter C. Fleming, Myths and Stereotypes About Native Americans, Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 88, No. 03, November 2006, pp. 213-217.
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