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Why This Campaign to Change the Washington Commanders' Name Is Going Viral

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  August 10, 2023 3:15 PM

The decision to change the name of the Washington Redskins came after decades of pressure. According to a Washington Post report, Native American leaders asked the team back in 1972 to change the moniker, claiming it was a “derogatory racial epithet.” Native American activists proceeded to demonstrate at major games in the years that ensued, but leadership resisted the calls and even scored legal wins in trademark battles, first in 2003 and again in 2017.  But amid the post-George Floyd unrest and rallies against alleged systemic racism, owner Dan Snyder, who once vowed to never change the name, announced a “thorough review” of the name would take place. In July of 2020, the team said it would be “retiring the Redskins name and logo,” after the review was finished.

In February of 2022, after 87 years as the Redskins and two years as the Washington Football Team, Snyder announced the team would become the Commanders. But with the latest development, it looks like the team's headache over its name will never end. 

In a letter dated Monday, the Native American Guardian’s Association threatened a boycott if the team doesn’t revert back to its old moniker. 

"Should we need to encourage a national boycott similar to what happened with Anheuser Busch which is now down $27 billion (note, not one brick thrown, not one highway blocked, not one bridge burned) - WE WILL DO JUST THAT," the letter states.  

NAGA founder and president Eunice Davidson pointed to a 2016 Washington Post survey that found 90 percent of Native Americans did not find the team’s former name offensive. Davidson also highlighted the fact that other teams have kept their Native American-themed names, such as the Chicago Blackhawks and the Kansas City Chiefs. 

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"At this moment in history, we are formally requesting that the team revitalize its relationship with the American Indian community by (i) changing the name back to 'The Redskins' which recognizes America's original inhabitants and (ii) using the team's historic name and legacy to encourage Americans to learn about, not cancel, the history of America's tribes and our role in the founding of this Great Nation," the letter reads.

“As the NFL franchise representing the nation’s capital, you have a distinct opportunity to recognize the history and value of the American Indian," the letter adds. 

In addition to the note, the group also started a Change.org petition that's going viral, racking up more than 76,000 signatures at the time of writing.