’Skin Tone

How long will the Washington Redskins stay the Redskins? The professional football team has long been the focus of controversy for what some consider a defamatory name, and after 17 years of legal wrangling, the Supreme Court may hear a suit that could revoke the 'Skins federal protection of their name and logo. On Sept. 14, six Native Americans petitioned the high court to hear their appeal.

"I think people will look back on this case 20 years from now, and really wonder why this was ever considered a debatable issue," says Philip Mause, an attorney representing the Native Americans pro bono in the suit.

"'Redskin' is the most derogatory word you can use to describe a Native American," says Bill Means, founder of the International Indian Treaty Council. The term originates from the bounty-hunting days, when colonies and companies would pay settlers for dead American Indians. Scalps, called "redskins," were used as trophies and proof because it was too difficult to carry the entire body, says Suzan Harjo, one of the plaintiffs in the suit. "In some cases male scalps could be bought for 80 cents, women for 60 [cents], and children for even less. This term describes a heinous act," Harjo adds.

Some football fans argue that the name was actually picked to honor a Native American. William Henry (Lone Star) Dietz was head coach of the team during its infancy, and in the 1930s the name was supposedly changed to Redskins to honor his purported Sioux heritage. But that tale is almost certainly apocryphal.

According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, in 1932, George Preston Marshall acquired the team and named it the Boston Braves after the city's Major League Baseball team. In the past, it was common for professional baseball and football teams in the same city to share team names. But a year later, Marshall decided to change the football team's name to the Boston Redskins to differentiate the winning football program from the losing baseball team. In 1937, the Redskins moved to Washington.

Fans say that over the years, the name has evolved a new, inoffensive meaning. "If you see the term 'Redskins' in the newspaper, it's clear the term is referring to a successful NFL football team, and people don't think of the term used in a derogatory manner," says Bob Raskopf, an attorney representing the Redskins in the case. "There is no doubt that the Redskins have created their own brand recognition for the team; the name stands for honor, pride, and tradition."

Litigation surrounding the name started back in 1992, when seven Native Americans decided to take on one of the most popular NFL franchises. "I wanted to change the name of the Washington Redskins because it represented the worst thing they can call us, and it's right here in our nation's capital," Harjo says.