Sports history was made as the Washington Redskins NFL franchise officially announced that they will indeed be changing the team name “Redskins” and ditching the Indian head logo.
During what is a time of civil unrest and social injustice the Redskins, who for decades faced heavy criticism for their team name as being racist, were recently pressured by their sponsors, starting with Fed Ex, to make the change. After agreeing to review the possibility, it was announced on Monday, July 13th to officially retire the logo, and Redskins’ team name.
“As a kid who grew up in the (DC area), it’ll always be #HTTR (fight song ‘Hail to the Redskins’) but looking forward to the future,” Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins tweeted.
No timetable has been set for when the team will have a new name and logo but it is currently being developed by team owner Dan Snyder and coach Ron Rivera.
This name change came just weeks after Washington Redskins sponsors Fed Ex, Nike, Pepsi, and Bank of America all pushed for the franchise to make a change; the team was named the Redskins in 1933, when still based in Boston.
Recently, various Native leaders and organizations communicated to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell voicing their displeasure to the Redskins name, and wanting a change.
‘The NFL and Dan Snyder, we have to commend them on making the right call to change the name,” said Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter, leader of the “Change the Mascot” campaign. “Dan Snyder won today because now he has a legacy that will be different from the racial slur that was the team name. I know that’s not an easy thing to do, but it was the right thing to do.”
Ironically enough, Snyder once declared that he would never get rid of the team name.
For decades, there have been protests and all sorts of criticism from Native American advocates who criticized ‘Redskins’ as being a “Dictionary-defined racial slur.”
Now a new chapter is unfolding in the Washington franchise, as they have officially ditched the logo and Redskins team name and are ready to move forward.
