- Details
- By Levi Rickert
CLEVELAND — In what looks as if two victories in one year for American Indians opposed to the misappropriation of Native-themed images, The New York Times reported on Sunday night the Cleveland Major League Baseball (MLB) team will drop its name. In July, the Washington Football Team dropped its racist name.
An excerpt from The New York Times article:
"Following years of protests from fans and Native American groups, the Cleveland Indians have decided to change their team name, movin away from a moniker that has long been criticized as racist, three people familiar with the decision said Sunday.
The move follows a decision by the Washington Football Team of the N.F.L. in July to stop using a name long considered a racial slur, and is part of a larger national conversation about race that magnified this year amid protests of systemic racism and police violence.
Cleveland could announce its plans as soon as this week, according to the three people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter."
CLICK to read the entire article.
The fight to have the "Indians" name dropped by the Cleveland baseball franchise started over 50 years ago by the Cleveland American Indian Movement (AIM) in response to the wishes of the local Native community, elders and leaders in the Nations, according the the organization's website.
"I am not quite sure who the Native groups are that are mentioned in The New York Times artcle. The franchise has not reached out to us. And, we have been on the front line protesting this for a half-century," Cleveland AIM Executive Director Sundance said to Native News Online on Sunday night. "We are pretty connected and we have not heard of one Native group the team has talked to about this. Right now, it is all speculation on what is going to happen."
Editor's Note: This is a developing story and will be updated when an official announcement is made by the Cleveland MLB team.
More Stories Like This
Biden Nominates Salish & Kootenai Tribal Attorney Danna Jackson for Federal BenchA Conversation With Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan: What We Can Celebrate Around the State
Return to the Heart Foundation Gives 44 Micro-Grants to Native Women Leaders
Indigenous Journalists Association President Addresses Members of the UNPFII
Inter-Tribal Council Passes Resolution Urging FCC to Establish Specific Event Code for Missing and Endangered Persons
Native Perspective. Native Voices. Native News.
We launched Native News Online because the mainstream media often overlooks news that is important is Native people. We believe that everyone in Indian Country deserves equal access to news and commentary pertaining to them, their relatives and their communities. That's why the story you’ve just finished was free — and we want to keep it that way, for all readers. We hope you'll consider making a donation to support our efforts so that we can continue publishing more stories that make a difference to Native people, whether they live on or off the reservation. Your donation will help us keep producing quality journalism and elevating Indigenous voices. Any contribution of any amount — big or small — gives us a better, stronger future and allows us to remain a force for change. Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous-centered journalism. Thank you.
