| - 1997 Articles on the Internet - |
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| School may drop Indian mascot | 12/05/97 |
| Katherine Long | Seattle Times |
| Beginning to understand that one cannot "play Indian" and that regalia often has ceremonial meanings, a school in Meadowdale, Washington, considers dropping its "Chiefs" mascot. See "School mascot due for change" article below for prior coverage. | |
| Keeping the "Savage" spirit alive and wild | 11/30/97 |
| Various students' comments | La Grande High School (Oregon) |
| Student leadership at Enterprise High School (Oregon) explain their decision to keep the school's "Savages" nickname but eliminate the association to American Indians. Includes some very revealing comments such as one from an 8th grade student who remarks that "We simply chose an Indian as the emblem. We could have just as easily chosen any uncivilized animal." | |
| School mascot due for change | 11/25/97 |
| Eric Stevick | HeraldNet |
| In Meadowdale, WA, an advisory board for the high school unanimously decides to drop its "Chiefs" nickname. | |
| They Taught You Wrong | 11/20/97 |
| Mike Holtzclaw | Colorado Daily reprinted from Newport News Daily Press |
| Author Kathy Kerner, whose book "They Taught You Wrong" concerns the use of American Indian sports team tokens, discusses the issue with a panel at Hampton University. | |
| Jacobs Field cells hold 'Wahoo' protestors | 11/05/97 |
| Author not cited | United Church of Christ |
| Several activists, including members of the United Church of Christ, are detained following protests of "Chief Wahoo" at a Cleveland "Indians" baseball game. | |
| Galt students to pick new Indian mascot logo | 11/03/97 |
| Bill Lindelof | Sacramento Bee |
| The predictable course of events occurs when high school students are allowed to decide on their school's mascot. | |
| Native American College Leader warns debate over 'Fighting Sioux' may bring violence | 11/03/97 |
| David Dodds | U-Wire |
| Citing a rising awareness and willingness on the part of young Native Peoples to become involved, concern over potential trouble is aired and restated. From the University of North Dakota. | |
| 1997 World Series: Florida Marlins vs. Cleveland Blue-Eyed Devils | 10/30/97 |
| Joel Tena | California Aggie Online |
| An informative article that uses good analogies and makes a number of meaningful points. | |
| Protest at Jacobs Field results in three arrests | 10/24/97 |
| Arnie Rosenberg | Beacon Journal Online |
| Members of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media are arrested while protesting at Cleveland "Indians" game. | |
| Choosing a mascot | 10/24/97 |
| MatthewWilde | Waterloo-Cedar Fall Courier (Iowa) |
| "Ackley-Geneva's top school administrator is strongly opposed to American Indians or any racial or ethnic group being used as a team mascot or nickname." | |
| Church 'saddened' by Wahoo Logo | 10/23/97 |
| Jim Carney | Beacon Journal Online |
| The United Church of Christ expresses its dismay that the Cleveland "Indians" insist on keeping its Chief Wahoo mascot. | |
| Chief of all problems | 10/23/97 |
| Noah Borenstein | U. of Rochester, Rochester, NY |
| Asks why Native Americans are the only people subjected to the kind of stereotyping and demeaning present in mascots. | |
| Team logos are an insult to Indians | 10/23/97 |
| Gary Brouse | Bergen County Record |
| "Everytime I see these Indian head logos, it reminds me of a time when there was a bounty on our heads: $7 for an Indian male, $5 for an Indian woman, and $3 for the head of an Indian child..." | |
| Tribes weigh in on Fighting Sioux controversy | 10/23/97 |
| Dorreen Yellow Bird | Northscape |
| American Indian nations in the area of the University of North Dakota show their support for efforts aimed at removing the "Fighting Sioux" as that school's token sports team nickname. | |
| Indians logo, mascot are the real mistakes | 10/22/97 |
| Michael Bauman | Milwaukee Sentinel Online |
| "(Phrases like "politically correct" ) are garbage buzzwords, conveying nothing other than a total absence of thought. The issue is not about being politically correct or politically incorrect. The issue is one of basic human decency. The issue is respecting the rights of a minority, or, more broadly, respecting someone who is different, outside the mainstream." | |
| NDSU chants inflame group | 10/22/97 |
| Ian Swanson | Northscape |
| "Using obscenity laced signs and chants, fans at a college football game taunt students at the University of North Dakota, a school whose sports teams nickname is the "Fighting Sioux." | |
| World Series exciting, 'Wahoo' disappointing, UCC leaders say | 10/21/97 |
| Author not cited | United Church of Christ |
| "Meeting in the midst of World Series activities, the Executive Council of the United Church of Christ today issued a statement objecting to the Cleveland team's name and logo." | |
| Pole torching reopens old wounds |
10/18/97 |
| Mike Lindblom |
Seattle Times |
| Responding to students who burned a 10-foot cedar carving, the chairman of the Snoqualmie Tribe says that he would advocate a public shaming by the tribe unless the school renounced its "Indians" sports teams nickname. | |
| 3rd Apology For Stanford Band Antics University president says students' conduct `uncivil' |
10/15/97 |
| Bill Workman |
San Francisco Chronicle |
| Stanford University President Gerhard Casper apologized yesterday to Notre Dame University for what he labeled the "uncivil and improper'' conduct of Stanford's marching band toward Irish culture and the Catholic Church. | |
| Redskins nickname divides Milford |
10/14/97 |
| Douglas Ilka |
The Detroit News |
| A high school student of Cherokee and Ojibwa heritage takes on the challenge of retiring her school's "Redskins" mascot. | |
| The Rosa Parks of American Indians |
10/10/97 |
| Bruno J. Navarro |
The New Mexican |
| Charlene Teters, a leading mascot issue advocate, is highlighted before the premier of the film "In Whose Honor" which documents her efforts at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Follow this link to read the Public Broadcasting System press release for this film/program. | |
| Illinois should do right thing, eliminate Native American mascot |
10/03/97 |
| Brian Costello |
Digital Collegian |
| The author, an assistance night sports editor, declares that using revered symbols and people for half-time entertainment at sporting events is anything but honorable. | |
| Indian Mascots: An offence to intelligence |
10/97 |
| Dr. Marker |
NWCitizen,Bellingham WA |
| Raps school boards for deferring decision-making and notes the failure of schools to teach critical thinking skills. | |
| First Americans Last To Get Respect |
9/29/97 |
| Clayburn L. Peeples |
Oxford Press (Ohio) |
| The district attorney general for the 28th Judicial District of Tennessee gives his "off the record" views about the use of American Indian related sports team mascots. | |
| School Indian mascot 'scalped' |
9/26/97 |
| Ted Wayne |
Oxford Press (Ohio) |
| The caption of this article says a lot in itself. A H.S. in Oxford, OH follows example set by Miami U. of Ohio & drops mascot. | |
| Miami Indian sees mascot change as 'political correctness gone awry' |
9/26/97 |
| Linda Metzger-Ebbing |
Oxford Press (Ohio) |
| A full scholarship grad student at Miami U. of Ohio and her retired Baptist minister father see nothing wrong with the "Redskins" nickname. | |
| Last of the Mohicans in L.A. | 9/22/97 |
| Author not cited | Virtually Northwest |
| A 17 year effort to remove American Indian token mascots from the nation's second largest school district finally meets its goal. Follow this link for a copy of the LA school board resolution on this matter | |
| American Indian mascots banished at L.A. schools | 9/19/97 |
| Associated Press - Author not cited | Generation Y |
| "The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education voted 6-0, with one abstention, to require three high schools and one junior high school to drop Indian-themed names and mascots effective this school year." | |
| Committees will consider name, mascot for school |
9/17/97 |
| Author not cited | The Morgan Messenger |
| "Indian Athletic Boosters" at the Morgan County (West Virgina) School Board attempt to intimidate a new school that was considering adopting a non-"Indian" mascot. | |
| Native American mascots to be removed | 9/08/97 |
| UPI - Author not cited | Yahoo News |
| "Los Angeles school board members have formally approved a policy requiring at least three area high schools to change their names because of their Native American mascots." |
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| Mascot flap to continue in Colville | 8/27/97 |
| John Craig | The Spokesman-Review |
| "Tempers flared and T-shirts flapped before the Colville School Board voted Tuesday to continue studying a Native American request to get a new mascot for the Colville High School Indians" | |
| Keeping racism alive | 8/16/97 |
| Mark N. Trahant | Nando Times News |
| Mr. Trahant, the editor and publisher of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News in Moscow, Idaho, rethinks plans to return to Enterprise, Washington when residents seek to maintain their former "Savages" nickname. Also see "'Savages' mascot is cast out." | |
| Indian mascot issue tossed back to Galt students | 8/15/97 |
| Andrea Lampos | The Sacramento Bee |
| The trustees at this California high school courageously opt to place the decision-making onus on the school's students. | |
| Enterprise school teams still Savages | 8/13/97 |
| Author not cited | Virtually Northwest |
| Faced with a loud and angry crowd, the school board in an Oregon town decides to let its school's "Savages" nickname remain for another year. | |
| Trustee resigns in protest over Redhawks logo | 8/18/97 |
| Arnie Rosenberg | Oxford Press (Ohio) |
| Upset that a new logo was being considered in place of the "Indian head" symbol formerly used by the school, a Miami U. of Ohio trustee quits. | |
| Native Americans Work to Stop Racism in Sports | 8/07/97 |
| JL Watson | Journal World |
| Multicultural educator, Dr. Cornel Pewewardy, continues to conduct seminars and raise awareness about the negative effects of dehumanizing "Indian" related sports team tokens. | |
| The Last, Acceptable Racial Stereotype | 7/31/97 |
| Art Coulson | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle |
| In this strong article, the deputy editorial page editor, of Yunwiya (Cherokee) heritage, drives home a number of concerns and reasons why American Indian sports team tokens must go. | |
| American Indian Education Specialist Works to End Racism in Sports and Culture | 7/28/97 |
| Mary Jane Dunlap | University of Kansas |
| This article outlines the insightful work and experiences of Dr. Cornel Pewewardy. | |
| How do you view Chief Illiniwek? | 7/97 |
| David Burke | Decatur Herald & Review |
| This item, mainly an interview with "In Whose Honor" documentary producer Jay Rosenstein was published just prior to the show's airing on PBS. | |
| Chief debate carries on | 7/14/97 |
| Steve Hanf | Daily Illini |
| Comments from the producer of "In Whose Honor" are found in this article which appeared in the U. of Ill, Urbana-Champaign newspaper the day prior to the documentary's PBS airing. A sizable collection of articles on this issue from the school's newspaper can be found by clicking here. | |
| 'Savages' mascot is cast out | 7/10/97 |
| Alex Tizon | Seattle Times |
| Cartoons and signs of this public school's 'Savages' mascot are removed to the approval of the sole Nez Perce man living in a county where his nation once thrived. | |
| Cleveland mascot subject of protests by American Indian activists | 7/09/97 |
| Associated Press - Author not cited | Nando.net |
| "Leaders of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media came to Cleveland Tuesday to join with local activists in a protest outside Jacobs Field, the site of major league baseball's All-Star game." | |
| A Major-League Insult? | 7/06/97 |
| Tom McNichol | USA Today Weekend |
| On the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier the Cleveland "Indians" "Chief Wahoo" mascot continues to raise controversy. Also included is a poll and voters' comments that, while predictable, indicates a surprising number of anti-"Wahoo" advocates. | |
| Chief Wahoo Must Go | 6/30/97 |
| Bernice Powell Jackson | United Church of Christ |
| The director of the UCC Commission for Racial Justice expresses concern about racial stereotypes and urges readers to write to team owners. | |
| Tribes refuse board on mascot meeting | 6/06/97 |
| John Craig - The Spokesman Review | Virtually Northwest |
| The Colville Confederated Tribes refuse to speak further about their position on a mascot used by a neighboring public school saying that they have made it clear they want the mascot removed. | |
| Student Responses to Tim Giago's "I hope the Redskins Lose' | 5/21/97 |
| Various | Mott Middle College H.S., Flint, Mich. |
| A series of essays give opinions on an article written by the editor of "Indian Country Today." See articles found elsewhere for information on Mr. Giago's piece. | |
| Anti-racism groups team up for anti-Chief rally | 4/09/97 |
| Megan DeSario | The Daily Illini |
| The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign draws activists to its campus to protest the school's use of it "Chief Illiniwek" mascot. | |
| Miami to keep logo but change to Redhawks | 4/24/97 |
| Bob Ratterman | Oxford Press (Ohio) |
| Trustees of Miami U. of Ohio follow its president's recommendation and retain "Indian head" logo while dropping school's "Redskins" nickname. | |
| Indian Mascots: An offence to intelligence | 02/23/97 |
| Dr. Marker | Northwest Citizen |
| A well-stated analysis of a controversy taking place over the Bellingham, Washington, public schools' use of "Indian" related sports team tokens. | |
| Real Indians demand respect | 02/97 |
| Rachel Morris | Smoke Signal Online |
| A student at a New Jersey high school argues that her school's mascot stereotypes Indian people. This article was awarded best of year by the school. | |