Year 2000 in Review

The National Education Association renewed its position on the use of racial mascots by passing yet another resolution.

Hank Aaron, longtime baseball superstar with the Atlanta MLB team and vocal civil rights advocate, indicated his support for retiring "Indian" related sports team mascots.

The Maine nation (Penobscot) to which Louis Francis Sockalexis belonged called upon the Cleveland MLB team to ban its "Chief Wahoo" logo. Sockalexis was the early Native American baseball player whom the Cleveland MLB team purported to honor with its nickname.

Kevin Gover, the highest ranking Native official in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, added his voice to the call for retirement of "Indian" sports team mascots.

Denouncing Chief Wahoo as a racist caricature, Mayor Michael R. White proposed removing the Cleveland Indians' logo from all city-owned property.

The Cleveland area's Commission on Catholic Community Action called upon the region's Bishop to take action on racial stereotypes perpetuated by Cleveland's MLB team.

The Canajoharie school district in New York state retires use of  the "red****s" nickname.

The Frontier school district in Massachusetts retired its "red****s" nickname in favor of "Red Hawks."

Hiawatha School District, Kansas, voted to replace three "Indian" sports team nicknames/mascots.

Hendrix University, Arkansas, reached a compromise by eliminating references to American Indian people while retaining its "Warriors" nickname.

School board members in Milton, Wisconsin, won a special recall election held because of their decision to retire the school's "Indian" sports team mascot.

Seattle University, Washington, changed its "Chieftains" mascot to "Redhawks."

Montgomery County, VA, saw a majority of its schools retire their "Indian" related mascots.

Niles West High School, a district near Chicago, Illinois, voted 6-1 to change its "Indians" nickname and mascot.

Scarbough, Maine, decided to drop the "Red****s" racial slur formerly used for its high school nickname.

In addition to unanimously voting  to eliminate an "Indian" logo that remained on display after changes had been made to the school's "Indian" mascot, the school board in La Crosse, Wisconsin, adopted a significant non-recognition of "Indian" mascots/logos/names of other schools in their WIAA conference. LaCrosse is the second Wisconsin district to adopt such a policy.

The New Lebanon Central School District in New York moved to find a replacement for its "Indian" mascot.

West Seattle High, Washington, elected to retire its "Indian" mascot.

Rialto school district in California replaced its "Warrior" mascot with "Tigers."

A Scottsdale, Arizona, grade school changed its "Tommy the Tomahawk" mascot.

The California DMV revoked the use of the word "red****s" and its variants on motor vehicle license plates.

United Methodist Church passed a resolution denouncing the "Chief Wahoo" racial caricature used by the Cleveland MLB team.

A resolution condemning the use of derogatory team names, mascots and symbols won the Hutchinson City Council's (Kansas), unanimous support.

Because of the use of its "Reds****" racial slur sports team nickname and associated practices, Little River school district, Kansas, was named in a federal lawsuit.

University of North Dakota - In a display of questionable ethics and leadership the North Dakota State Board of Education suddenly voted to retain the University of North Dakota's "Fight Sioux" nickname and undermined their university president and the Board's credibility in the process.

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign - Motivated by a report from an accreditation organization that was critical of the school's handling of the "Chief Illiniwek" controversy, the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, paid lip service to the issue and conducted the so-called, "Dialogue on Chief Illiniwek."

Southeastern Oklahoma State University - Southeastern Oklahoma State University found itself in a controversy when Native American students and their supporters called for replacement of the school's "Savages" nickname and sports team practices related to American Indians.

A federal investigation was opened after the Win-E-Mac, Minnesota, public school pep rally held prior to a game against a
Native American school featured "cowboy" teachers rounding up "Indians" and sending them back to the reservation.

Milford Michigan found itself in a renewed controversy over use of its "Red****s" nickname.

The Onteora school district in New York was the location of a very heated mascot battle that saw the district become the first in the nation to overturn a non-discrimination policy in order to reinstall its "Indian" sports team token.

Laconia High School, New Hampshire,  was pressed to change its "Indian" mascot

Sanborn Regional School Board in Dover, New Hampshire, kept its "Indian" sports team token.

Kewaunee, Wisconsin, retained its "Indian" sports team token.

Seneca Valley School District, Pennsylvania, voted to retain its "Indian" related nickname, logo, and mascot.

San Diego State University - Citing stereotypic rationalizations the president of this public university facilitated retention of his school's "Aztec" mascot and nickname.

Pandering to voters an Ohio state legislator up for reelection authored a bill that would place "Chief Wahoo" on motor vehicle license plates.

Ignoring the advice of its superintendent and board president, Danville, Vermont, school board trustees voted 3-2 in favor of retaining an "Indian" sports team token.

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