The Chicago Blackhawks name and logo controversy refers to the controversy surrounding the name and logo of the National Hockey League (NHL) ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. The team’s official mascot, Tommy Hawk, is a feathery fowl that loves to dance, play hockey, and cause mascot mayhem wherever he goes. The Chicago Blackhawks first joined the NHL in 1926 and got its team name from owner Frederic McLaughlin, who was a commander during World War II serving under the 86th Infantry Division.
The team’s logo, largely unchanged since 1959-60, features a side profile of an Aboriginal American, possibly Black Hawk, inside a roundel featuring the team name. The great-granddaughter and direct lineal descendant of Black Hawk, the legendary Native American war leader from Illinois, has denounced the team’s use of the Native American logo. The team’s name is said to “honor the US 86th Infantry Division”, nicknamed the “Blackhawk Division” after Black Hawk, a Native American chief based in present-day Chicago.
In public statements, the team characterized its use of the name and logo as honoring Black Hawk, saying it “symbolizes an important and significant event”. In 1955-56, the Blackhawks introduced a new secondary logo consisting of two tomahawks crossing in an X shape. The controversy has led to calls from Indigenous activists and fans for the team to change its name and logo and cease profiting off of Black Hawk’s name.
📹 Blackhawks Aren’t Racist (Why They Shouldn’t Change Their Name & Logo)
Blackhawks Aren’t Racist (Why They Shouldn’t Change Their Name & Logo) Lately it seems to be that no one, and no one thing is …
What was Blackhawks real name?
Black Hawk, born Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak (Sauk: Mahkatêwe-meshi-kêhkêhkwa), was a Sauk leader and warrior who lived in the Midwestern United States. He was not a hereditary civil chief but earned his status as a war chief or captain through his actions, including leading raiding and war parties as a young man and leading a band of Sauk warriors during the Black Hawk War of 1832. During the War of 1812, Black Hawk fought for the British against the US to push white American settlers away from Sauk territory.
Later, he led the British Band against white settlers in Illinois and Wisconsin during the 1832 Black Hawk War. After the war, he was captured by US forces and taken to the Eastern US. He later published the first Native American autobiography, “Autobiography of Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak”, in 1833, which became a bestseller and has gone through several editions. Black Hawk died in 1838 in southeastern Iowa, leaving an enduring legacy of his book, eponyms, and tributes.
What does the A on the Blackhawks jersey mean?
An alternate captain, indicated by the letter “A” on hockey jerseys, is a player who has been entrusted by the coaching staff and other players to assume the role of leadership in the absence of the captain. It is not uncommon for teams to have multiple alternate captains, rather than just one.
What does the Hawk mean in Chicago?
Chicago’s wind, often referred to as “The Hawk”, has been a popular term in African American Vernacular English. The Baltimore Sun’s 1934 series explored the origin of the phrase “Hawkins is coming” for a cold, winter wind. The first recorded Chicago citation is in the Chicago Defender on October 20, 1936. In the 1967 song “Dead End Street”, Chicago native Lou Rawls explains that the city is named “The Windy City” because of the Hawk, a powerful and influential wind that takes care of business during winter.
What is the Blackhawks full name?
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, known for their six Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926. The team is part of the Central Division in the Western Conference and has played their home games at the United Center since 1995. The team’s original owner was Frederic McLaughlin, who fired many coaches and led the team to win two Stanley Cup titles in 1934 and 1938. After McLaughlin’s death in 1944, the team came under the ownership of the Norris family, who acted as their landlord and owned stakes in several NHL teams.
After James D. Norris died in 1952, the Norris assets were spread among family members, and James D. Norris became the owner of the team. The younger Norris took an active interest in the team, winning another Stanley Cup title under his ownership in 1961. After James D. Norris died in 1966, the Wirtz family became owners of the franchise. In 2007, Rocky Wirtz took over the team, which won the Stanley Cup three times under his leadership.
On May 1, 1926, the NHL awarded an expansion franchise for Chicago to a syndicate headed by former football star Huntington Hardwick of Boston. Hardwick arranged the purchase of the Portland Rosebuds players for $100, 000 from WHL president Frank Patrick, but the group sold out to Chicago coffee tycoon Frederic McLaughlin.
Why is the Blackhawks logo an Indian?
The Chicago Blackhawks, a National Hockey League (NHL) ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois, has faced controversy over its name and logo. The team was named after the U. S. 86th Infantry Division, nicknamed the “Blackhawk Division”, after Black Hawk, a Native American chief based in present-day Illinois. The team’s founder, Frederic McLaughlin, served in that division. The National Congress of American Indians, the American Indian Center of Chicago, The Chi-Nations Youth Council, and over 1, 500 Native organizations and advocates from over 150 federally recognized tribes across the country, including members of the Sac and Fox Nation, support changing the team name and logo.
Members of Black Hawk’s family have called on the hockey team to change the team name and logo and cease profiting off of Black Hawk’s name, image, and legacy. Since July 2020, headdresses have been banned from being worn at Blackhawk home games. The team believes that both the name and logo symbolize the importance of Black Hawk’s legacy. Chicago is home to the third largest Urban Indian population in the United States, with 65, 000 Native Americans in the Greater Chicagoland area with over 175 tribes represented.
Does the Black Hawk tribe still exist?
In contrast with the prevailing assumption, the Black Hawk tribe is not a discrete entity; rather, it is a constituent of the Sauk tribe.
What does the Chicago Blackhawks logo represent?
The Chicago Blackhawks name and logo honor a historic figure who continues to inspire Indigenous people, American veterans, and the community. A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement acknowledging the unique relationship between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. It is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land for generations. Acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol, and understanding the long-standing history that has brought you to reside on the land is crucial.
Why is Black Hawk so famous?
Black Hawk was a war chief and leader of the Sauk tribe in the Midwest of the United States, known for leading raids and war parties in his youth. He was an allies for the British during the War of 1812, fighting against the U. S. army to push white settlers away from his people in Sauk territory. Black Hawk returned home to Saukenuk after the many lives lost due to European attack methods.
In the 1804 Treaty of St. Louis, the Sauk and Fox tribes gave up a stretch of land in exchange for an annual payment of goods. Black Hawk resented the treaty, claiming that the tribal leader who signed it was not authorized to sign treaties. In 1832, Black Hawk led a loose confedaracy of the Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the “British Band”, which aimed to peacefully regain and settle on tribal land taken by the U. S. Louis.
After the war, Black Hawk lived with the Sauk in Iowa and later died after a two-week illness. He was buried on a friend’s farm in Des Moines River, Iowa.
Why don t the Blackhawks have to change their name?
The Chicago Blackhawks, formerly known as the Black Hawks, have been considering changing their name and logo to reflect their historical connection to the Sac and Fox Nation. In 2020, the team released a statement stating that the name and logo symbolize the leadership of Chief Black Hawk, who inspired generations of Native Americans, veterans, and the public. The team has proposed adopting the logo of the 86th Infantry Division, nicknamed the Black Hawk Division after Chief Black Hawk.
The original team owner, Frederic McLaughlin, was a commander with the 333rd Machine Gun Battalion of the 86th Infantry Division during World War I. The new sweater would retain the black and red colors, stripes, and the eagle head, with the eagle holding two hockey sticks to nod to the current Blackhawks arm patch. This change would not be as offensive as the original statement, as it would still inspire generations of Native Americans, veterans, and the public.
What does the American Indian hawk symbolize?
Hawks were frequently regarded as emblematic of a number of positive attributes, including strength, grace, power, freedom, courage, and hunting abilities. In tribal lore, they were regarded as guardian spirits imbued with esoteric knowledge or as a bird with a spirit guide.
Did the Chicago Blackhawks have to change their logo?
Despite mounting pressure from the public to alter their names and logos, the Chicago Blackhawks remained unwavering in their decision. In response, they launched a comprehensive public relations campaign to preserve their current identity.
📹 Carrying Black Hawk’s Name Today | Chicago Blackhawks
Wallace “Bud” McLellan (Sac & Fox) has the distinct honor of carrying Black Hawk’s name today. He shares his story here.
I’m not a Chicago fan, I’m a Penguins fan, but I do believe in honesty. While I understand how some names and Logos have offended some in the past, I’m in 100% agreement with this article. I find nothing offensive about it, I think it’s a tribute to Native Americans. Sadly once certain ppl get you in their sites, they’ll pressure advertisers to stop advertising on Blackhawk games, and we all know as soon as it becomes about $$$ everything changes. Best wishes off the ice Hawks, but on ice, my Penguins have every team in their sites. ✌️
Another thing the name was named after the wwl division named after chief Blackhawk which honors him. The logo has the accurate skin tone and markings of a Native American were as the Indians logo for example is literally being racist to Native Americans. Also people don’t know that the Blackhawks donate money to Native tribes and actually teach people about Native culture. As a Blackhawks fan this is annoying.
Unless you’re of First Nations descent, it’s not your call whether it’s racist or not. Your “opinion” doesn’t mean shit if you’re not of indigenous descent. If someone were to make a comment or use an image that offended you, and they responded with “Well *I don’t find it offensive! So you can’t either!”, you’d tell them to get fucked. I’m a lifelong Blackhawks fan, and I love the logo and name, but I’m also a white guy. Not my call to make. And don’t fall back on, “Oh you’re not a real fan then”, or any kind of ad hominem attack, because that’s a nonsense argument trying to disguise that you have no other logical argument.
I have no background on this topic, as in, I don’t know what native Americans feel about this logo, nor do I know if you yourself are a Native American. But I’ll say this, your point is fair… but respectfully it’s not up to you to decide what is offensive to another group of people. Again, no idea about this. For all I know native Americans appreciate the logo.
i doubt the Black Hawks name will last, in canada just about all sports team names with any native significance was changed, and parks names are slowly being changed back to the original native ones, and they are constantly suing the Canadian government and winning billions about wrongs that were committed 50 to 200 years ago despite them getting apologies, from the highest levels of government. They beleive that any imagery of natives in a sports team is wrong. To them being thought of as a team mascot really makes them angry!!! they say things like “WE ARE NOT MASCOTS, WE ARE PROWD PEOPLE” and other such statement involving calling white men racist, sheeze!!! Their plights are constantly in my local news about new lawsuits against Canada. Fishing right, logging rights, land claims etc etc. and new totems are going up everywhere, the local parks, government offices, shopping centers, the local ferries to and from vancouver are plastered with native art and totems, and with what’s happening in Canada with the unending legal native settlements into the billions, hate to say it but with what happened to chief “wahoo”, it’s only a matter of time until the natives in the U.S sue the Chicago team, So i fear the name “Black Hawks” may be doomed……… I live in Canada B.C Vancouver area probably the most densely populated province of native inhabitance….
I’m native American. I think we should change it because we’re not your mascots. We’re people and none of the people on the team are actually native Americans. It doesn’t honor. Why are white people dictating what is offensive and not? It’s racist because we’re continually used as mascots and not people.
Hockey and History. Two great loves of mine, personally (earned a B.A. in the latter and am currently learning how to skate and play hockey. It’s a blast). Such an awesome article. Would love to keep seeing more of these. So much history, culture, and knowledge to pass on to a global audience. Love and respect to “Bud” Ma Ka Tai Me She Kia Kiak and the Sac and Fox Nation, and all other indigenous peoples across the Americas. ❤️🖤✊