Chief Wahoo 
(1947- ), pictured right, is the American Indian chief who is the trademark of the Cleveland Indians, an American baseball team. Some say it is racist. The NAACP, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and most Native American leaders want him dropped.
Even the name “Indians” is based on a racist stereotype: “In place of the Naps”, said the Cleveland Leader in 1915 when the name was changed, “we’ll have the Indians, on the warpath all the time, and eager for scalps to dangle at their belts.”
In 1928 they started wearing a picture of an Indian on their uniforms. In 1947 along came Chief Wahoo.
Compare Chief Wahoo to the trademark for Coon Chicken Inn, which comes from the same period in history and was still in use as late as the 1950s. Then compare it to the current trademark of another sports team which uses an Indian image, the Chicago Blackhawks:
It is bad enough to use an Indian image at all in a country that has practised genocide against them. As the New York Daily News pointed out, it would be like a football team in Germany calling themselves the Hamburg Jews or something. But on top of that comes this image of Chief Wahoo.
After all, what if the Cleveland team had called itself the Cleveland Coons and used a coon image like the one above? And what if fans came to the game in blackface? Who would put up with it? Yet some Cleveland fans come to the game in redface:
According to a Sports Illustrated opinion poll from 2002 most people see Indian names and images on sports team as not being racist:
Although most Native American activists and tribal leaders consider Indian team names and mascots offensive, neither Native Americans in general nor a cross section of U.S. sports fans agree.
It is unclear where Sports Illustrated found enough Native Americans to poll or why whites. who make up most of “a cross section of U.S. sport fans”, would be a good judge of how offensive it is.
Some point out that white people are used on trademarks too, like the one for the New England Patriots:
How this is not like Chief Wahoo:
- It is a picture with some dignity.
- It was presumably created by a white person.
- It is not one of the few images of white people that are seen nationwide. Unlike Native Americans, whites have the power to create whatever images they want of themselves and have them seen all across the country.
- Whites are mostly not seen as members of a race, as “white” people – but just as people. That is not true for people of colour in America.
Cleveland should go back to what they had before: a stylized “C”. After all, letters are good enough for the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, who, unlike Cleveland, have won a World Series or two within the past 60 years.
Thanks to alwaysright101 for suggesting this topic.
See also:
- The history of the Coon Chicken Inn – at the excellent Jim Crow Museum.
- race and representation:
- blackface
- Vogue does blackface
- yellowface: David Carradine
- blackface
- Race in America
- Other posts on Native Americans:
Although most Native American activists and tribal leaders consider Indian team names and mascots offensive, neither Native Americans in general nor a cross section of U.S. sports fans agree.
These same people consider blackface in the same vein, it has nothing to do with racism. A few years ago, the retailer Abercrombie and fitch created a controversy when the put out a series of T-shirts with derogatory Asian themed motifs. They had to pull them because it caused an uproar. Some of the motifs? Here’s one; , “Wong Brothers Laundry Service — Two Wongs Can Make It White.” But of course this was no big deal and ‘hilarious’. This is the same thing. Abercromie justified this by claiming they have had T-shirt motifs ‘poking fun’ at other groups also. When people complain, they are being ‘overly sensitive’ as it’s just a joke that doesn’t mean anything does it? At least in their estimation.
Unlike Native Americans, whites have the power to create whatever images they want of themselves and have them seen all across the country..
Yes and how they choose to depict themselves whether positively or negatively is in their hands. They are the arbiters of their self images in the media and elsewhere. This is why they see no problem when they do this to other people. If they can make fun and demonize themselves, then anyone else is fair game until an uproar ensues. Then they seek to denigrate the complainants for not supporting the ‘joke’ or in the least, attempt to neutralize them. Unfortunately, many people see it this way.
Man, even the Chicago Blackhawks mascot looks more dignified than Chief Wahoo. *smh* It’s bad enough that they’re using an ethnic group as a mascot, but does he have to look like a grinning idiot?
White people as usual with their constant need to be negative towards non-white people.
It’s funny and a “joke” when white people are making fun of non-white people. But suddenly if a white person is attacked there’s a lawsuit and it gets serious.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with the “Chicago Blackhawks” logo!
I think it looks dignified.
But what about the Blacks who support the “Redskins” and could care less that the name is racially offensive to Native Americans?
I live in SoMD and have yet to meet a Black person who expressed discomfort with the name. Too bad.
Jamdown:
This is at least the second time you have used this argument, the “It’s not just white people who do it” argument. As if that makes it right or something. You should read this post:
http://abagond.wordpress.com/2009/10/03/the-arab-trader-argument/
Yeah i think they should just use letter there is saftey in numbers and that applies to letters too.
I don’t understand why use ethnic groups as a mascot I even heard of some high school team in the US calling themselves “The Orientals” WTF?!!
Why not animal mascot or elemental ones liek “The Tornados” or something like that.
As someone who has predominately African American ancestry with a little Native American thrown in, I am offended by that. The only way they get away with that is because Native Americans make up less than 3% of the population. There is strength in numbers.
Racist caricatures of black people are only considered unacceptable because a large amount of us speak out about it.
Why cant these white folk make fun of their own racial stereotypes? Draw some skinny anorexic looking fake boob flat ass white girl and use that as a mascot
@Arianna
Yeah that would be something instead of the Cleaveland Indians. The Cleaveland White Chicks and have horrid animations Shawn and Marlon Wayans dressed up as those “White Chicks”
You know what’s funny about Cheif Waboo? Is that there have been Native Americans who have been fighting for these institutions to stop using Native American caricatures. What’s also funny is that many White Americans swear up and down that Native Americans don’t complain like Black people and will use Native Americans as a good example of POC not complaining while writing off Blacks as whiners. I remember when ignorant ass Adrienne Curry said that in her myspace blog. I was like they do stand up for themselves is just they are largely ignored by society due to their small population. Poor thing she didn’t realize in her crappy essay she proved many people right that she was racist. The worst is to compare different POC and divide them.
^^^
I remember that Myspace blog! She was pondering the existence of BET! What’s more is that she claimed that she isn’t white but “other”, because is allegedly of partial Native American lineage. How do you say “full of crap” in Spanish???
i am not surprised she is a racist…she is a model, and most models are not exactly all that bright…too bad christopher knight married a whiny racist ignorant loser.
and it irks me too when white people try to compare different minorities experiences. the only similar thing about them is that they have all suffered at the hands of whites, but the histories are different. different results based on the different experiences in this country.
i don’t blame people for saying americans are stupid…most white people keep proving that theory right. i just hope when other countries say these things about americans, they know that blacks should not be included…we are second class citizens, if non americans want to hate americans all the want thats fine, just make sure they hate the right people, which would be the whites. i hate it when i am blamed for the actions of whites, if im not gonna be considered american in this country then i refuse to shoulder the blame for what dumb things white people do to others.
“i hate it when i am blamed for the actions of whites, if im not gonna be considered american in this country then i refuse to shoulder the blame for what dumb things white people do to others.”
THANK YOU.
I am considered a second class citizen in this country because i’m not “white and holy” but when americans are called out for the stupid things they do then SUDDENLY us black folks are americans!
mynameismyname:
^^^
I remember that Myspace blog! She was pondering the existence of BET! What’s more is that she claimed that she isn’t white but “other”, because is allegedly of partial Native American lineage. How do you say “full of crap” in Spanish???
LMAO!! Yes that was trainwreck, then when the pressure was on when he received backlash for her comment, then she fetichizes Black men and said some stupid shit like she dated one back in high school and her parents called her “ni**er” lover lol. I’m like girl you are not too far off from your parents. You know what’s funny? Some White people say that Black people are never sastified when they give us an opportunity. Excuse me?? Adrienne Curry was sitting up here in her blind white priveledge ranting on her blog about unfairness in society that is against White people, while a Black woman gave her a shot at her dream. She is a waste of space.
alwaysrightlol said:
i don’t blame people for saying americans are stupid…most white people keep proving that theory right. i just hope when other countries say these things about americans, they know that blacks should not be included…we are second class citizens, if non americans want to hate americans all the want thats fine, just make sure they hate the right people,
and ErzulieRedEyes said:
THANK YOU.
I am considered a second class citizen in this country because i’m not “white and holy” but when americans are called out for the stupid things they do then SUDDENLY us black folks are americans!
Co-sign both of these statements but some Black people don’t get it neither. There was some chick that told me that this girl who was from Nigeria was complaining about some of the attitudes that American’s carry. This girl told her to go back to Africa if she doesn’t like it and was defending America in her statement. I cracked up! I was like since when did America ever claimed you and did right by you by while you sitting here defending this country? Some Black Americans don’t get it. You are treated as a second class citizen. You are fighting in your own country. All that defending is not going to benefit you!
you know, chief wahoo and how whites justify and defend it reminds me of how whites do the same thing with that wretched confederate flag.
@alwaysright 101:
Yes, the confederate flag! The Southerners during the Civil War used the flag as a symbol of proud Southern heritage. And yet, the flag was connected somehow to promote racist idealogies by the KKK, no? Even to this day, you see racist zealots use the confederate flag not only being proud of being Southern or shall I say White, but as a reminder of racism. I hope it makes sense.
the thing about southern heritage is that most of it has to do with racism…whenever southerners say the civil war was about state rights, the reality is it was about war because that was the whole point, getting rid of slavery was somehow seen as infringing state rights.
i would say the confederate flag is the same as the nazi swastika…both represent evil.
And it just kills me the way that they defend that flag as if there is nothing racist about it. As if the whole thing has to do with just being a proud Southener and not a racist one who would love nothing more than to bring back “the good ‘ol days”.