As of October, 2016 there are over 800 posts. While most pertain specifically to the mascot issue, articles about Native American sports and athletes, activism work for cultural identity and anti-appropriations, and history pieces have been included for context.
If you have anything to share, please contact me on Facebook. I'd love to hear from you.
Cheers,
Terri Jean
About the Timeline
With all the misinformation published today regarding Native-themed sports mascots, imagery, logos and such - no one can really understand the issue fully unless you know and understand how these images and logos came to be. It didn't happen overnight, and it wasn't always for the reasons the teams are telling you today.
It's easy to look backwards and make assumptions, based on today's feelings, on how something came to be, but unless you know the historical context of what was happening at that time, you really can't get the whole picture. It's easy to say so-and-so evolved from the purpose of honoring someone, but HOW did they honor them? And what has it become today? You need to see the evolution of that team, and all teams, to really understand the American Indian point of view with regard to how these images make them feel as a collective race, as tribal communities, and as individual people.
Over the past 10 years I've collected thousands of newspaper articles on this subject, as well as American Indian history as a whole. Given the heated debate in today's social media, and right outside the gridiron gates themselves, I felt it was my duty to present these clippings to the public to illustrate not only the evolution of particular teams, but also to add historical context as to what was happening to the indigenous people while these teams were developing into who they are today.
I've created labels at the right to help you better navigate through the wealth of information presented here. If you have additional information you would like for me to include, please contact me. If you are going to threaten, slur, challenge or debate me - save it. I won't respond. And no, I won't remove items from the blog. I created this to educate readers on the long, arduous and varied history of 1) Revering American Indian athletes, and 2) Using their names and likenesses to sell tickets to pageantry games and create school spirit in high school gymnasiums and then 3) Appropriating their likenesses, names, and stereotypical imagery completely, and 4) Justifying the insults and mocking, and fighting to retain it all, while slapping Native people in the face by claiming it's all an honor (and they just don't get it).
Feel free to share the images on Pinterest, Facebook, and anywhere else you wish - just be sure to link back to the timeline.
Thank you and I look forward to your comments.
Cheers,
Terri Jean
Historical Activist
1870's What is a Redskin ??
The term "Redskin" was often used in newspaper stories, headlines and advertising throughout the 1800's. Though it was mostly meant in a derogatory way, it was interchangeable in some papers with the word "Indian," and even then it wasn't used in a flattering manner.
1879 - early Carlisle football team
1893 - 1917 The Carlisle Indians Football Team
... represented the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in intercollegiate football competitions for 25 years. It was an incredibly successful defunct major college football program, and was considered a national powerhouse of its time. The players regularly competed against Ivy League schools, and although they were outsized by their opposing teams, they were gifted athletes and highly competitive.
1899, December 22 - When Carlisle athletes didn't meet California's expectations
In late 1899, the Carlisle Indian boarding school athletes traveled from Pennsylvania to California - the longest cross-country trip of that time ever made by a football team - and the San Francisco Chronicle illustrated their expectations as to what these young gentlemen would look like: barefeet or moccasins, fringed leggings of no pants at all, and each with feathers in their hair and blankets across their shoulders. But what walked off the train were young men in modern clothing, carrying suitcases and - apparently surprising those of the newspaper - pretty much looking like everybody else.
1900, November 17 - Talk about bad ass!
On November 17th, 1900, two trains collide, killing two men. The Carlisle Indian football team were riding on one of those trains, as they were en route to Philadelphia. They went on to play the University of Pennsylvania soon-after.
Doesn't like publishers depicting American Indians as blood-thirsty scalpers
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| The New York Times. July 1, 1910 |
1909 - first publication of the "Smoking the Pipe of Peace" at Miami University
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| 1888 - Nov. |
This tradition was first seen in a 1909 issue of The Miami Student.
To see more images, click below:
1910, Jan 16th - Spectators at an Indian ball game say brutal Sport.
Civil war veterans witness a contest at Sulphur while in reunion
there – played for ENTERTAINMENT.
Game is combination of
foot and base ball.
Two goals are arranged similar to football -- from 11 to 15 men play on each side.
Guthrie, Okla – When full-blood Indian men play ball they present
a grotesque sight. They strip to the waist and their brown bodies are greased
in order that they may more easily slip out of the grasp of their opponents.
Each Indian carries two clubs. Indian ball, or lacrosse, is as much the
national game of many tribes of the Indians as baseball is the white American’s
national sport today, and the game is particularly popular with all the five
civilized tribes in old Indian territory.
To see the actual article,
1910, Feb 6 - "Red Skins" at Carlisle
The Carlisle Indian School will not have a baseball team this year. The fact has been established that the Red Skins are not adapted for the game. A Savage may be a perfectly good football player, but he is not cut out for baseball playing. A base ballist makes a fine Indian on occasions; but an Indian can never be a ball player.
1910, April 6th - Louis Sockalexis
Former Potter and old time Cleveland player put in much time together in Maine.
Click below to read the actual article in full
1910, May 17th - the "Redskins' Scalp" pun was in full use.
At the time of this headline, scalping parties (where people went out to literally hunt for Native Americans in a coordinated effort to kill them - usually Apaches) existed. And yet ADAMS BOYS TAKE REDSKIN'S SCALPS was a pun used for sporting headlines.
But then again, people said these ball teams are meant to HONOR Native people and not exploit them as a Vanishing Race. Right?
Click below to read the article.
But then again, people said these ball teams are meant to HONOR Native people and not exploit them as a Vanishing Race. Right?
Click below to read the article.
1911 Jim Thorpe. This Indian the Athletic Marvel of the Age.
Click below to see this article - which is a full and amazing page!
1911, May 13th Indian favorite wins marathon. 28 minutes and 43 3-5 secongs.
Talyumptwea carries off classic event of state meet.
Click below to read the actual article.
1911, Jan 29th Colored League and loyal fans
Actual article below from IN THE WORLD OF SPORT.
More talk of Colored Baseball League.
More talk of Colored Baseball League.
Click here to read the actual article.
1911, Nov 11 Such puns! Carlisle and scalping. We get it, oh sportswriters.
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| The Indianapolis Star 11/11/1911 |
1911, July 13th Scalping the Haskell team
SOLDIERS HOME CLUB GETS SCALPS OF HASKELL TEAM.
"Nine braves from the Haskell Institute of Lawrence were scalped yesterday .... "
1911, July 18th - The Wild West
Native people were often put on display for Wild West shows, as the article states, "decked out in their bravest and most gorgeous apparel a curious crowd of all ages was gathered." ....
It is important to note that the "white children" were dressed as Indians, and the attire included: fringed hunting shirts, moccasins, and feathered headdresses. And the Boy Scouts were also there - and dressed up as Indians, no less.
Read the entire article below:
1911, Aug 24 - "Scalped by the Indians" headline... meaning, actual Indians in sports
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| Hopkinsville Kentuckian 8/24/1911 |
1911, Sept 27 - "Real Indians" in the National League
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| 1911, The Raleigh Times 9/27/1911 |
Mike Balenti - July 3, 1886 to August 4, 1955 - was also the Indian shortstop of the St. Louis Browns, a former Carlisle student (Class of 1909), a football coach and was a member of the Carlisle Indian eleven.
1911, Oct 15th - paleface vs redskin fighting on the field (a theme that continues today)
Click below to read the actual article:
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1911, Dec 28th - same article as before, but with an unsettling headline
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| 1911, Dec 28th The Winnipeg Tribune |
1912, Jan 3. - The Atlanta Braves are really named after white men who played Indian.
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| The Sandusky Journal 1/3/1912 |
1912, June 6 - Scalping was real. Hunting people was real. Murder for money was real.
END THE TOMAHAWK CHOP!
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| 6/6/1912 The Lynden Tribune |
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