A petition that advocates for restoring the name ‘Redskins’ to the National Football League’s Washington team has garnered 62,000 signatures to date.
The #ReClaimTheName initiative was launched by the Native American Guardian Association (NAGA).
“People across the political spectrum are in support of this,” said Tony Henson, NAGA executive director. “This isn't a partisan issue. The Redskin Pride Coalition was a bipartisan group made up of D.C. area Republicans and Democrats who supported the Washington Redskins.”
The team was rebranded as the Washington Commanders in 2022 under allegations that the name ‘Redskins’ is reflective of systemic racism.
The logo, which is an image of an Indian chief, was gifted to the team by the Blackfeet tribe, according to Henson.
“That’s Chief Two Guns White Calf,” Henson told the West Virginia Record. “He’s very proud and dignified. Around 90% of Native Americans have no problem with these names or images. On the reservations especially, they really, really like them because it's a strong connection to their heritage.”
The controversial effort to revert the name back to Redskins has come to the forefront now that the football team has new owners.
As previously reported by ESPN, Dan Snyder formerly owned the team. However, in July it was acquired for $6.05 billion by a group led by Josh Harris.
NAGA leaders sent a letter to the Harris group requesting a meeting, but Harris has yet to reply.
“We are formally requesting that the team revitalize its relationship with the American Indian community by changing the name back to the Redskins, which recognizes America's original inhabitants and using the team's historic name and legacy to encourage Americans to learn about not cancel the history of America's tribes and our role in the founding of this great nation,” the Aug. 7 letter states.
What’s at stake is the disappearing of Native Americans from the conscience of America, according to NAGA leaders.
“This is happening not only with sports teams, but you have the Land O' Lakes’ Indian Maiden gone and Mutual of Omaha,” Henson said in an interview. “There’s just so much pressure that has been put on so many different native-themed entities to disappear that there's going to be hardly any remembrance of Native Americans if this continues the way it's going.”
In 2015, NAGA filed an amicus brief against a U.S. Patent Office decision finding that the name ‘Redskins’ cannot be registered as a trademark due to its derogatory nature.
“There are members of the new ownership group who have publicly in recent weeks and months said that they're open to potential name changes and they've even utilized the name Redskins in interviews,” Henson added. “We’d like to have a seat at the table.”
