List of Washington Redskins name change advocates

Further information: Washington Redskins name controversy

For decades, hundreds of organizations and individuals advocated that the American football team formerly known as the Washington Redskins should change its name and logo. In July 2020, following a wave of racial awareness and reforms in wake of national protests after the murder of George Floyd, major sponsors of the league and team threatened to stop supporting them until the name was changed. As a result, the team initiated a review of the name and decided to retire it and the logo, temporarily playing as the Washington Football Team pending adoption of a permanent name.[1][2][3] The new name, Washington Commanders, was announced on February 2, 2022.[4]

The team was one of the leading examples of the Native American mascot controversy, as the Redskins name itself is defined as derogatory or insulting in American English dictionaries. The issue is often discussed in the media in terms of offensiveness or political correctness, which reduces it to feelings and opinions, and prevents full understanding of the historical, psychological and sociological context provided by academic research on the negative effects of the use of Native American names and images by sports teams.[5] As of 2010, over 115 professional organizations representing civil rights and scientific experts published resolutions or policies stating that the use of Native American names and symbols by non-native sports teams is a harmful form of ethnic stereotyping that promotes racial prejudice.[6]

Since its founding in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has campaigned to eliminate negative stereotyping of Native American peoples in the media. Over time, the campaign began to focus on Indian names and mascots in sports.[7] The NCAI maintains that teams with mascots such as the Braves and the Redskins perpetuate negative stereotypes of Native American people, and demean their native traditions and rituals.[8] The NCAI issued a report in 2013 summarizing opposition to Indian mascots and team names generally, and the Washington Redskins in particular.[9] In the trademark case, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board placed significance on the NCAI opposition, estimating that the organization represented about 30% of the Native American population at the time the trademarks were granted, which met their criteria for a "substantial composite" of Native Americans finding the name disparaging.[10]

Although the Washington name change has eliminated the focus on one team, efforts to remove Native American mascots in general has been sustained, with special attention on high school teams that continue to be Redskins.[11]

  1. ^ Maese, Rick; Maske, Mark; Clarke, Liz (July 3, 2020). "Washington Redskins move toward changing controversial team name". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  2. ^ Bergman, Jeremy (July 23, 2020). "Washington will go by 'Washington Football Team' until further notice". NFL.com. NFL Enterprises. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  3. ^ Kim, Allen; Sterling, Wayne (July 23, 2020). "Washington's football team to call itself Washington Football Team until it settles on a new name". CNN.com. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  4. ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (February 2, 2022). "Washington Football Team announces 'Commanders' as its new name". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  5. ^ C. Richard King, ed. (2010). The Native American Mascot Controversy: A Handbook. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. pp. xi–xiv. ISBN 978-0-8108-6731-4. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  6. ^ "Legislative efforts to eliminate native-themed mascots, nicknames, and logos: Slow but steady progress post-APA resolution". American Psychological Association. August 2010. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  7. ^ J Gordon Hylton (2010-01-01). "BEFORE THE REDSKINS WERE THE REDSKINS: THE USE OF NATIVE AMERICAN TEAM NAMES IN THE FORMATIVE ERA OF AMERICAN SPORTS, 1857–1933". North Dakota Law Review. 86: 879.
  8. ^ "Anti-Defamation and Mascots". National Congress of American Indians. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  9. ^ "NCAI Releases Report on History and Legacy of Washington's Harmful "Indian" Sports Mascot". Retrieved October 11, 2013.
  10. ^ Ryan Van Bibber (June 19, 2014). "12 questions (and answers) that explain the 'Redskins' trademark case". SB*Nation.
  11. ^ "Ending Indian Mascots Update" (PDF). NCAI. November 4, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2022.