Native American Mascots

Braves, Chiefs, Indians, Hawks, and Seminoles:  all are names of some of our oldest and most beloved sports teams.  These mascots represent their team identity and bring success that has dated back to 1912.  So why should teams with Native American mascots be forced to change their names now?

Louis Sockalexis

The origins of professional teams with Native American nicknames began with baseball.  Founded as the Boston Red Stockings, the team became the Braves for the first time in 1912.  The story is that the team is named to honor Louis Sockalexis, the first Native American to play major league baseball.  Their owner, James Gaffney, was a member of New York City's Tammany Hall, one of the societies originally formed to honor Tamanend, a chief of the Delaware. The success of the Braves in the 1914 World Series was the reason for the Cleveland team to become the Indians in 1915. 

Teams like the Braves and the Indians were originally given their names through the permission of Native American Elders who wanted their names to be used to keep the tradition and identity of their tribe and its people.  Mohawk Chief Jacques Boulerice is one of many Native Americans who feels that the use of Native American mascots is not disrespectful.  “Anything that brings more Native culture to the forefront is OK by me,” said Boulerice.  “If a college teams calls itself The Mohawks, I’m damn proud that they would choose my people to be the symbol of their team.”  Boulerice is not the only Native American to weigh in on the controversy.  According to Sports Illustrated, 83 percent of Native Americans who responded to a poll feel pro-sports should not stop using Indian nicknames, characters, symbols, and mascots. 

Opponents of Native American mascots argue that the mascots breed insensitivity, racism, and misunderstanding about native people. They also highlight the double standard for human beings as mascots where there are no mascots based on African Americans, or Asian Americans depicted in sports. This argument is invalid because Native Americans are not the only group who are represented by so-called "negative stereotypes."  The Notre Dame Fighting Irish has a scrappy leprechaun as their mascot, and the Irish were once a marginalized group of people in the United States.  Also, the University of Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns admits their mascot is based on a term considered slang for the people who live in the area.  If legislation is trying to outlaw culture-offensive mascots, any logo could be forced to change.  For example, if animal rights get involved, teams such as the Bears, Eagles and Falcons should be forced to change their names too.

Teams with Native American mascots were established to honor and represent tribes, traditions, and people of Native American heritage.  Their names have been a part of their team identity and have helped them create success, bringing positive recognition to the Native American people.  To change their mascots now would remove all of the good intentions and only serve to diminish the rich heritage of these proud people.