Cleveland becomes the Guardians as Native sports images recede – By Stephen Whyno and Tom Withers (The Associated Press) / July 23 2021
Washington’s NFL team is dropping all Indigenous imagery from its branding and in MLB Cleveland has settled on Guardians as its new name. Many other franchises are also feeling the pressure to change, while others continue to defend their Native imagery.
Washington will not have any kind of Native American imagery as part of its next name, and the subject is still evolving across sports in the year since the storied NFL franchise dropped arguably the most polarizing moniker left in the pros.
Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary since Washington dropped the name Redskins and the accompanying Indian head logo after 87 years amid pressure from sponsors and decades of criticism that both are offensive to Native Americans. The Washington Football Team will be around for one more season, with a new name set to be revealed in early 2022.
With the Atlanta Braves, the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, and the NCAA’s Florida State Seminoles holding onto theirs for now, and bears watching as the possibilities get narrowed down, Washington’s process is the furthest along.
“The Washington Football Team’s announcement that they will not be using Native American imagery is a major step towards reconciliation, justice, and equality, but there’s still more work to be done,” said Crystal Echo Hawk, founder and executive director of Native American-led nonprofit IllumiNative. “This is a step in the right direction, we ask that the NFL, MLB, and NHL urge the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Blackhawks to follow Washington Football Team president Jason Wright’s lead in order to stand on the right side of history.”
