Is The Cleveland Indians Mascot Being Removed?

The Cleveland Indians, a major-league baseball team, has announced its decision to remove the “Indians” nickname from its name, which it used for over a century. The decision comes amid a growing trend away from names that reference Indigenous people and comes five months after Washington’s NFL franchise dropped its own offensive nickname amid pressure from league sponsors. The Indians removed the Chief Wahoo logo from its uniforms in 2018, and in December 2020, they announced they would be selecting a new name that had no ties to Native Americans.

The controversy surrounding the Native American mascot controversy has led to over 115 professional organizations representing civil rights, educational, athletic, and scientific experts to publish resolutions or resolutions. The Cleveland Indians announced on Monday that they will drop the Chief Wahoo logo from their uniforms next year, bowing to decades of complaints. It wasn’t until 2018 that the Indians officially removed their logo, a cartoonish Native American named Chief Wahoo, from their merchandise. Cleveland’s team owner said the franchise will continue using the “Indians” name and branding until it decides on a new mascot.

The polarizing mascot is a controversial issue that has been debated for years, with some advocating for the removal of the “Indians” mascot from the team’s name to “unify our community”. The decision to drop the controversial nickname and imagery comes five months after Washington’s NFL franchise dropped its own offensive nickname amid pressure from league sponsors.