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Time for Change?

Sports teams with Native American names and mascots are picking new ones.

November 8, 2021
By Chrisanne Grise

For more than 100 years, Cleveland’s pro baseball team has been called the Indians. Now it’s about to change its name to the Guardians. Washington, D.C.’s pro football team has also made a name change. It was called the Redskins. Now it’s the Washington Football Team.

Why are the teams making changes? Many people think the old names and mascots are harmful to Native Americans.

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This team's name is changing. 

Names Matter 

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Protesters, like this girl, helped push teams to change. 

There are more than 500 Native American nations in the United States. Each has a unique culture.

But a team name like “Indians” could make people think that all Native people belong to one group. And the teams’ mascots are often shown, wearing headdresses or holding weapons, like a tomahawk. That can lead people to think all Native Americans act the same.

“We’d rather that folks see us as individuals,” says Leah Salgado. She works to change how people think about Native Americans.

Salgado explains that Native Americans want what everyone does. “We all want to be treated with respect and love and dignity,” she says.

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