Latest News from ChangeTheMascot.org
Change the Mascot Calls on NFL Owners to Stand Against Washington NFL Team’s Use of R-word Racial Slur
Visit ChangeTheMascot.org
NCAI is a partner of the "Change the Mascot" website - visit the site to learn more about the campaign and to get involved.
Would You Call Me a Redsk*n to My Face?
NCAI President Brian Cladoosby addresses the issue
NCAI Position Paper on Harmful "Indian" Sports Mascots
Ending the Legacy of Racism in Sports & the Era of Harmful "Indian" Sports Mascots
Recent NCAI Resolutions on Harmful Mascots in Sports
View list of NCAI resolutions outlining organzation's position.
NCAI's Anti-Defamation Policy Work
Learn more about NCAI's work to end the defamation of American Indian and Alaska Native people.
NCAI's Long Standing Opposition to Harmful "Indian" Sports Mascots
As the nation’s oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization, NCAI has long held a clear position against derogatory and harmful stereotypes of Native people—including sports mascots—in media and popular culture. In 1968 NCAI launched a campaign to address stereotypes of Native people in popular culture and media, as well as in sports. Since this effort began, there has been a great deal of progress made and support to end the era of harmful "Indian" mascots in sports.
NCAI's position is clear, longstanding, and deeply rooted in our seventy years as a leading voice for Indian Country - we advocate for and protect the civil rights, social justice, and racial equity of all Native people in all parts of American society.
About "Indian" Sports Mascots & Harm
Born in an era when racism and bigotry were accepted by the dominant culture, "Indian" sports brands have grown to become multi-million dollar franchises.
The intolerance and harm promoted by these “Indian” sports mascots, logos, or symbols, have very real consequences for Native people.
Specifically, rather than honoring Native peoples, these caricatures and stereotypes are harmful, perpetuate negative stereotypes of America’s first peoples, and contribute to a disregard for the personhood of Native peoples.
As documented in a comprehensive review of decades of social science research, derogatory "Indian" sports mascots have serious psychological, social and cultural consequences for Native Americans, especially Native youth. 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.
Most concerning in considering negative stereotypes of Native people, are the alarmingly high rates of hate crimes against Native people. 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.”
These factors together indicate a very real need to take immediate action in a number of areas, including the removal of harmful images as well as the education of the general public, to diffuse additional hateful activity against Native peoples.
Widespread Support in Indian Country & Beyond
Proud to Be Video and Photo Campaign
Social Media: #NotYourMascot
Twitter Updates from
Change the Mascot
Over the last fifty years, a ground swell of support has mounted to end the era of racist and harmful “Indian” mascots in sports and popular culture. Today, that support is stronger than ever.
Hundreds of tribal nations, national and regional tribal organizations, civil rights organizations, school boards, sports teams, sports and media personalities, and individuals have called for the end to harmful “Indian” mascots.
Rooted in the civil rights movement, the quest for racial equality among American Indian and Alaska Native people began well before NCAI established a campaign in 1968 to bring an end to negative and harmful stereotypes in the media and popular culture, including in sports.
As a result there has been significant progress at the professional, collegiate, and highschool levels to change once accepted race based marketing practices.
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.
As a result of ongoing education and advocacy, in total, two-thirds or over 2,000 “Indian” references in sports have been eliminated during the past 35 years. Nearly 1,000 still remain today.
The Origins of the NFL's Washington Football Team Name
& Culture - A Legacy of Racism
The NFL's Washington football team name “Redsk*ns” is a dictionary defined racial slur. The slur's origin is rooted in government bounty announcements calling for the bloody scalps of Native Americans in the 1800's. From the early 1900's up until today, the term has been carried on as a racial slur in popular culture. For much of the 20th century the term was used interchangeably in movies and books with the word "savage" to portray a misleading and denigrating image of the Native American.
This derogatory term was selected by team owner George Preston Marshall for use by the team in 1932 at a time when Native people were continuing to experience government and social policies to terminate tribes, assimilate Native people, and erase Native human and civil rights. In 1932, 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.
Marshall's reputation as a segregationist and racist was only just beginning to make a mark on society and sports. In 1933, Marshall was the self appointed leader amongst NFL owners to institute 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. While the team has moved on from Marshall's segregationist policies, it has refused to close the chapter on Marshall's ugly use of race-based marketing at the expense of Native people and communities.
At the local community level, 28 high schools in 18 states that have dropped the “R” word as their mascot’s name in the last 25 years.
Contrary to calls for name changes by tribal nations, Native peoples, former players, civil rights organizations, media outlets, and a sea change at the youth, amateur, collegiate, and professional sports levels, the Washington football team has opted to retain its harmful “Indian” brand. Rather than truly honoring Native peoples, the organization has carried on its legacy of racism and stubbornly holds on to its ugly past.
Nearly 50 Years of Calling for a Change to the NFL's Washington Football Team Name
NCAI and Native rights advocates have been working for nearly fifty years to change the name of the NFL's Washington team.
In 1972, following the launch of the organization's campaign againts "Indian" stereotypes, 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. Since that moment in time there have been substantial efforts to call for the name change.
MYTH: NCAI or an NCAI President gave the football team their current mascot/logo.
Historian Michael Richman reports in his book The Redsk*ns Encyclopedia, based on a 2002 Washington Post interview, that, “In the early-1970s, Walter “Blackie” Wetzel, president of the National Congress of American Indians and chairman of the Blackfoot tribe, urged the Redsk*ns to replace the “R” logo on their helmets with the head of an Indian chief.”
FACT: Mr. Wetzel was not President of NCAI at the time he took these reported actions and these actions were not taken on behalf of NCAI’s members.
Mr. Wetzel served honorably as President of NCAI from 1960 to 1964 - however he was not President of NCAI when he reportedly contacted the football team. In 1965 the team changed the logo from an “Indian” mascot to a spear and in 1970 to an “R”. In 1972 the team’s logo was reverted to a newer version of the original “Indian” mascot logo dating back to the original Boston Braves logo.
In 1993, NCAI membership passed a resolution against the team name: “Resolution in Support of the Petition for Cancellation of the Registered Service Marks of the Washington Redsk*ns AKA Pro-Football, Inc.”
In 1999 and 2014 the U.S. Patent Office ruled that the R-word is "disparaging to Native Americans" and therefore not entitled to taxpayer-financed copyright protections. 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.
In recent years, NCAI has continued to educate the public about the issue as a new and successful legal challenge to the team name by Native youth - Blackhorse et al v. Pro-Football Inc. - has brought hightened attention to the issue.
While Native opposition to the name has not waivered, public concern about the Washington football team's name has grown. Indian Country and NCAI has continued to educate the public and advocate for a name change along with Native and non-Native allies through the campaign Change The Mascot.
Latest Updates from NCAI & Change the Mascot
Archive of NCAI News & Updates
December 2020
December 14, 2020
NCAI Commends Decision by Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Franchise to Change Its “Indians” Name
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) commends today’s announcement by the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in Cleveland to retire its “Indians” name and mascot, which the team has used for more than a century.
September 2020
September 10, 2020
Statement on Kansas City Chiefs Announcement of Game Day Rituals
NCAI views the Kansas City Chiefs' announced modifications as positive yet modest initial steps in a long and ongoing educational process that ultimately will lead to comprehensive change, change that respects the humanity, diversity, resiliency, and vibrancy of tribal nations, cultures, and peoples.
July 2020
July 13, 2020
NCAI Statement on the Washington Football Team’s Retirement of Racist Mascot
"Today is a day for all Native people to celebrate. We thank the generations of tribal nations, leaders, and activists who worked for decades to make this day possible. We commend the Washington NFL team for eliminating a brand that disrespected, demeaned, and stereotyped all Native people, and we call on all other sports teams and corporate brands to retire all caricatures of Native Americans that they use as their mascots."
July 3, 2020
NCAI Response to the Washington Football Team’s Commitment to Addressing Name Change
WASHINGTON, DC | Today, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) welcomed the Washington NFL team’s announcement this morning of its plan to conduct a “thorough review” of the team’s name and mascot, which represents an important breakthrough for Indian Country in its longstanding effort to change the name and mascot.
July 2, 2020
NCAI Commends Leadership of FedEx in Taking Stand Against the Washington NFL Team’s Racial Slur Mascot, Calls on League’s Other Sponsors and Retailers to Join Movement
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) commends this evening’s formal request by FedEx asking the Washington NFL team to “change the team name.” FedEx’s announcement is particularly noteworthy given that the company is the stadium sponsor of the Washington NFL team, and FedEx CEO Fred Smith owns a minority ownership stake in the team.
June 2020
June 15, 2020
NCAI Commends DC Mayor Bowser’s Call for Washington NFL Team to Change Its Name and Mascot, Appeals to State and Local Officials and Corporations to Do the Same
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) commends the public statement of Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who declared Friday in referring to the “R*dskins” name and mascot of the Washington NFL team that “it’s past time for the team to deal with what offends so many people.”
October 2019
October 8, 2019
NCAI Applauds Washington, D.C. City Council's Vote to Declare Indigenous Peoples' Day
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country, applauds today’s vote by the Washington, D.C. City Council to celebrate Monday, October 14, 2019 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the Nation’s Capital, replacing Columbus Day.
August 2019
August 13, 2019
NCAI Response to Latest Flawed Poll on R*dskins Team Name
“This new poll, which purports to survey individuals who self-identify as Native Americans with no ability to confirm their identity, is equally as flawed and unreliable as the Washington Post’s 2016 poll. It proves nothing, nor does it absolve the NFL of its moral obligation to discard the longstanding symbol of racism and division that serves as the mascot of its Washington franchise,” said Kevin Allis, CEO of the National Congress of American Indians.
May 2019
May 22, 2019
NCAI Statement on Maine Governor's Ban on Use of Native-Themed Mascots
August 2018
August 24, 2018
Leading National Civil Rights and Racial Justice Organizations Announce Joint Opposition to Washington NFL Team Locating New Stadium in District of Columbia
WASHINGTON, DC | Today, nine leading national civil rights and racial justice organizations formally announced their joint opposition to the Washington National Football League (NFL) team locating its new stadium in the District of Columbia unless the team agrees to drop the “R-word” racial slur as its mascot.