The family of the Native American tribal chief who inspired the former Washington Redskins logo is calling on the team to bring back the image, describing it as a matter of respect and historical accuracy, as reported by The Blaze.
Thomas White Calf, the nephew of the late Chief Two Guns White Calf of the Blackfeet tribe, wrote a letter demanding the franchise restore both the name and logo that activists pressured the team to drop in 2020.
Family of Blackfeet chief, face of NFL’s Redskins for 48 years, wants his image back in NFL https://t.co/8yEGXfHFW1 #FoxNews
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) September 15, 2024
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The Redskins name and logo were abandoned in July of that year, replaced temporarily by the “Washington Football Team” before the franchise adopted the “Washington Commanders” identity in 2022.
“White Calf defended tribal traditions in our Blackfeet homeland in Montana, where many of us still live today,” Thomas wrote in a letter obtained by the New York Post.
“He went to Washington, D.C., where he forced the U.S. government to honor Indian treaties. He served as a model for the U.S. Mint’s famous 1913 ‘Indian head’ nickel. White Calf’s face is still a collector’s item.”
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Thomas White Calf noted that his uncle’s life had national prominence. He was friends with Theodore Roosevelt Jr., made President Calvin Coolidge a member of the Blackfeet Nation, and his death in 1934 was front-page news across the country.
Chief Two Guns White Calf’s likeness became the logo of the Redskins in 1972 after Blackfeet leader Blackie Wetzel and other Native leaders advocated for the design. According to Thomas, the image was considered a symbol of pride by Native Americans at the time.
The Man Inside The Logo. His Name is John Two Guns White Calf. This Man is My Family #NFL #WashingtonRedSkins #DanielSnyder #WhiteCalfFamily pic.twitter.com/WWQZuY4Ov7
— Chris White Calf (@OpsEliteN8vKick) November 17, 2023
In his letter, Thomas criticized the removal of his uncle’s image, saying his legacy was erased by those who labeled the logo offensive.
“White Calf’s name was dropped from the Redskins narrative. His life story was erased from history. Even worse: Uncle Two Guns was dehumanized. He was ridiculed as a ‘savage and clownish mascot.’”
He also linked the activist groups who opposed the imagery to billionaire George Soros and thanked President Donald Trump for pressuring the team to consider restoring its original name.
“We ask that the American Indian never be erased, dehumanized or forgotten again,” Thomas wrote.
“God Bless the Blackfeet. God Bless President Trump. And God Bless the United States of America.”
The debate over the Redskins’ identity resurfaced in July after linebacker Von Miller, during his introductory press conference with the franchise, mistakenly referred to the team by its former name.
“The Washington Redskins called me a month and a half ago and started talking, and agreed to come here to Washington about a week and a day ago. And here I am, so excited to be here,” Miller said.
The controversy over the Redskins name and logo remains unresolved, but the call from Chief Two Guns White Calf’s family adds new weight to the debate over whether the team should revisit its decision.
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