Washington Renounces Native American Imagery

Precisely one year after the Washington Football Team announced it would retire its name and logo, team president Jason Wright confirmed Washington’s NFL franchise will choose a new identity “that unequivocally departs from any use of or approximate linkage to Native American imagery.” Wright did not, however, provide a timeline. Instead, he noted the team has “made significant progress” and is “entering a very exciting phase.” Washington’s first pre-season game is scheduled for August 12. The team review so far has included what Wright described as an “inclusive process to listen to all voices,” including Native American leaders. He also cited research “revealing the psychological effects of Native American team names on American Indian and Alaska Native youth” and pledged to “prioritize the views of those who have been hurt by our historical use of Native American language, iconography and imagery.” Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, Pantene Is Celebrating Allyson Felix’s Legacy While he did not reveal a new mascot, he disclosed it will not be one candidate: The Warriors. “Feedback from across communities we engaged clearly revealed deep-seated discomfort around Warriors, with the clear acknowledgment that it too closely aligns with Native American themes,” Wright wrote in a weekly update on July 12. “Such an embrace of potentially Native-adjacent iconography and imagery would not represent a clear departure that many communities have so forcefully advocated for us to embrace and that frankly, we set out to do when we started this process a year ago.” Per Wright, the team is “down to a short list of final names” otherwise. He is looking for an identity that “does not offend any member of our community.” ‘A major step’ In response, Crystal Echo Hawk, executive director of IllumiNative, a nonprofit that promotes authentic representation in pop culture, called Wright’s announcement “a major step towards reconciliation, justice and equality.” She added, “Today we celebrate another victory in our fight against racism and the derogatory use of Native mascots, imagery and language at the painful expense of Native peoples.” However, she also called on America’s professional sports leagues to encourage the remaining teams—namely, the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Blackhawks—to follow Washington’s lead “in order to stand on the right side of history.” Representatives for the Chiefs, Braves and Blackhawks did not respond to requests for comment. ‘A club that’s only you’ While the Washington NFL and Cleveland MLB teams announced their intent to adopt more inclusive brand identities last year, the remaining teams have instead removed some components of the team experience—like, say, banning headdresses—while holding fast to their identities. In July 2020, the Braves, for example, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution they will not drop the name or tomahawk logo, but were working to spotlight Native American culture and tradition. That includes a t-shirt that benefits a Cherokee language school, the New Kituwah Academy, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Speakers Council. But sports marketing experts previously told Adweek these two major sports rebrands make it harder for the Chiefs, Braves and Blackhawks not to follow eventually. “Every time one falls, the club shrinks—and you don’t want to be part of a club that’s only you,” said Joe Favorito, a lecturer in sports management at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, at the time. 2020 also saw a huge shift at brands with mascots rooted in nostalgia for slavery. Following protests against police brutality and racial injustice last year, PepsiCo acknowledged its Aunt Jemima brand was “based on a racial stereotype” and brands like Uncle Ben’s and Cream of Wheat conducted internal reviews. Uncle Ben’s became Ben’s Original in September 2020. Aunt Jemima followed with a shift to the Pearl Milling Company in February 2021.

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As Washington Renounces Native American Imagery, Pressure Continues on Remaining Teams

One year later, the NFL team is moving closer to a new brand identity

Lisa Lacy

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