Descendants of Native American Leader Demand Return of His Likeness to NFL
Native American activists are advocating for the return of the previous Redskins logo that showcases their revered ancestor. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The logo featuring John Two Guns White Calf served as a symbol of tribal and family pride, according to his descendants in an interview with Fox News.
The family of John Two Guns White Calf, a Native American chief who inspired the now-retired logo of the Washington Commanders football team, is calling for his presence at NFL events once more.
"The fans want him back and we want him back,” Thomas White Calf, a great-nephew of the prominent early-20th-century leader of the Blackfeet tribe, conveyed to Fox News last week.
“Our ancestor was the most famous and most photographed native in history,” he stated during a phone conversation with his mother, Delphine White Calf. “I’m proud of him. The Blackfeet are proud of him.”
The conservative news outlet spoke with the family following their meeting with Montana Senator Steve Daines, who has been an outspoken critic of the 2020 decision to rebrand the franchise. Daines has consistently decried what he views as a historical injustice in Congress and the media.
“Make no mistake, this logo was inspired and envisioned … as a tribute to Native Americans. It is not a caricature. It is a depiction of pride and strength. Of courage and honor,” he remarked during a Senate subcommittee hearing in May.
Blackie Wetzel, a leader of the Blackfeet tribe, created the logo in 1971, and the Washington Redskins NFL franchise adopted it the following year.
Both the team name and mascot were retired in 2020 amid racial protests following George Floyd's death. Significant pressure from major investors and shareholders led to concerns that the branding perpetuated harmful stereotypes about Native Americans.
The franchise's management ultimately capitulated, with the Redskins being renamed the Commanders just two years later.
A spokesperson for the team told Fox News that they are working with Senator Daines “to honor the legacy of our team’s heritage and the Native American community,” but there are no plans to revive the old logo.
The article cited the non-profit National Congress of American Indians as a key player in the naming controversy. This organization advocates for the elimination of what it views as inappropriate mascots in sports and lodged complaints against the Redskins in a 29-page report issued in 2013.
“Today’s harmful ‘Indian’ mascots are very much an extension of the commercialization of race such as black face and African-American stereotypes,” the report stated.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
The family of John Two Guns White Calf, a Native American chief who inspired the now-retired logo of the Washington Commanders football team, is calling for his presence at NFL events once more.
"The fans want him back and we want him back,” Thomas White Calf, a great-nephew of the prominent early-20th-century leader of the Blackfeet tribe, conveyed to Fox News last week.
“Our ancestor was the most famous and most photographed native in history,” he stated during a phone conversation with his mother, Delphine White Calf. “I’m proud of him. The Blackfeet are proud of him.”
The conservative news outlet spoke with the family following their meeting with Montana Senator Steve Daines, who has been an outspoken critic of the 2020 decision to rebrand the franchise. Daines has consistently decried what he views as a historical injustice in Congress and the media.
“Make no mistake, this logo was inspired and envisioned … as a tribute to Native Americans. It is not a caricature. It is a depiction of pride and strength. Of courage and honor,” he remarked during a Senate subcommittee hearing in May.
Blackie Wetzel, a leader of the Blackfeet tribe, created the logo in 1971, and the Washington Redskins NFL franchise adopted it the following year.
Both the team name and mascot were retired in 2020 amid racial protests following George Floyd's death. Significant pressure from major investors and shareholders led to concerns that the branding perpetuated harmful stereotypes about Native Americans.
The franchise's management ultimately capitulated, with the Redskins being renamed the Commanders just two years later.
A spokesperson for the team told Fox News that they are working with Senator Daines “to honor the legacy of our team’s heritage and the Native American community,” but there are no plans to revive the old logo.
The article cited the non-profit National Congress of American Indians as a key player in the naming controversy. This organization advocates for the elimination of what it views as inappropriate mascots in sports and lodged complaints against the Redskins in a 29-page report issued in 2013.
“Today’s harmful ‘Indian’ mascots are very much an extension of the commercialization of race such as black face and African-American stereotypes,” the report stated.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
