fbpx
 

SEATTLE — On Indigenous People’s Day 2019, Seattle based Eighth Generation will launch a special edition wool blanket honoring Native American sports hero, Jim Thorpe. Last year, Eighth Generation officially licensed the Jim Thorpe name and likeness.

“What better way to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day than highlighting one of the greatest examples of Native excellence?” Said Louie Gong (Nooksack), founder of Eighth Generation. The blanket is aptly named “All Around Excellence.”

Jim Thorpe (Sac and Fox) is an American icon famous for winning Olympic gold in the decathlon and pentathlon, before going on to excel in professional baseball and football. Jim Thorpe also became the NFL's first president and is widely considered one of the best athletes to ever live. The “All Around Excellence” Special Edition Wool Blanket was designed by Eighth Generation in collaboration with Sac and Fox traditional ribbon artist, Ruth Garvin.

In 2015, Eighth Generation revitalized the wool blanket market by becoming the first Native-owned company to offer wool blankets, with 100% of its products designed in partnership with Native artists.  Since then, the Native owned and operated company has collaborated with nearly 50 Native artists, drawing a stark contrast with the pattern of cultural appropriation established by legacy companies in the wool blanket industry.

In addition to the wool blanket, Eighth Generation previously released a Special Edition Jim Thorpe Phone Case. All the phone cases are made in their Seattle studio headquarters, available in various iPhone and Samsung models. The stunning case is made with real cedar wood, maple and ash inlays, which are cut and laser etched with multiple layers of protective coating.

More Stories Like This

Navajo Nation Leaders Recognized the Fallen on Memorial Day
This Day in History — May 28, 1830, Andrew Jackson Signs Indian Removal Act
Native News Weekly (May 28, 2023): D.C. Briefs
Oklahoma Legislature Overrides Governor Stitt’s Veto of Native Regalia Bill
Native Bidaské with Lummi Nation Chairman Anthony Hillaire on the Opioid Crisis

Native News is free to read.

We hope you enjoyed the story you've just read. For the past dozen years, we’ve covered the most important news stories that are usually overlooked by other media. From the protests at Standing Rock and the rise of the American Indian Movement (AIM), to the ongoing epidemic of Murdered and Missing Indigenous People (MMIP) and the past-due reckoning related to assimilation, cultural genocide and Indian Boarding Schools.

Our news is free for everyone to read, but it is not free to produce. That’s why we’re asking you to make a donation to help support our efforts. Any contribution — big or small — helps.  Most readers donate between $10 and $25 to help us cover the costs of salaries, travel and maintaining our digital platforms. If you’re in a position to do so, we ask you to consider making a recurring donation of $12 per month to join the Founder's Circle. All donations help us remain a force for change in Indian Country and tell the stories that are so often ignored, erased or overlooked.

Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous journalism. Thank you. 

About The Author
Native News Online Staff
Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected].