- Home Page
- Thesis
- History Behind Mascot Controversy
- Case Study: Washington Redskins VS. Native American Activists
- "Hail to the Redskins" Fight Song
- Timeline: Legal Fights Through the Years to Get Rid of Offensive Mascots
- Florida Connection: Florida State Seminole Controversy
- Public Opinion on the Issue
- Interview
- Images Depicting Controversy
- Annotated Bibliography of Resources
- History Fair Group Members
The idea of using Native American mascots and images in sports has been a topic of debate in the United States and Canada since the 1960s.
Americans have had a history of drawing inspiration from native peoples and "playing Indian" that dates back at least to the 18th century. Many individuals admire the heroism of the classic Native American image, but many people also view the use of mascots as offensive, demeaning, or racist. The controversy has resulted in many institutions changing the names and images associated with their sports teams. Native American images and nicknames nevertheless remain fairly common in American sports, and may be seen in use by teams at all levels from elementary school to professional.
'being Indian is NOT a character or role that one can play"