Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting has been available to bring home on DVD since February 2024.

Native American slurs have no place in a sports team name, let alone their nickname. A number of teams have either taken it upon themselves or were forced into changing their name, logos, mascots, or other imagery because of being both demeaning and offensive. There are still gestures in existence that have somehow not come to an end as of yet.

Among those considered demeaning and offensive and investigated in Imagining the Indian:

• Chief Wahoo, the former cartoonish logo of the Cleveland Guardians
• The Tomahawk Chop frequently seen at Atlanta Braves games
• The Washington Commanders’ derogatory former name

Imagining the Indian explores their impact not only on the Native American community but in sports and society. Perhaps most interestingly is how there are teams adopting names and logos despite having any such connection to the very tribes or people in which they are appropriating. Aviva Kemper and Ben West view the fight through the lens of Presidential Freedom of Medal recipient Suzan Shown Harjo. They fought against the exploitation of Native Americans in the sports world.

We wouldn’t be able to view Imagining the Indian without having any context for the fight. Anyone familiar with American history knows the genocidal history of Native Americans. Unless things have changed since I graduated, it’s impossible to learn American history without studying the Trail of Tears–the forced migration of the Cherokee, Muscogee, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw–during 1830-1850. Put it this way: President Andrew Jackson needs to be replaced on the $20 bill. But regardless of treatment, we’ve seen negative stereotyping appear frequently in both sports and the wider popular culture in general.

There’s a legal history, too and Imagining the Indian has it covered. Suzan Shown Harjo has filed lawsuits along with many other activists through the years. The biggest case deals with the Washington Commanders and their former derogatory name. The slur was in use upon their move from Boston to Washington in 1937, inspired by William “Lone Star” Dietz. It wasn’t until the George Floyd protests kicked things into full gear, playing under Washington Football Team until the 2022 rebranding. I remember calling out their Black square as being performative in 2020 if they didn’t take any action. Criticism started in the 1960s and received even more attention in the 1990s.

The NFL tackled other issues in recent years, including domestic violence, criminal justice and LGBTQ+ rights. Sure, it’s a weak domestic violence policy. Between that and CTE, I have a hard time watching NFL games anymore. Why is it that it took so long for them to do anything about the Washington team name? There’s honestly no excuse here. Slurs are slurs and they have no place in sports. Despite it taking so long for the NFL to do anything, there have been wins at both the high school and collegiate levels. Is brand recognition more important than doing the right thing?

If a documentary so much as touches on baseball, you can rest assured that Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Costas will offer his comments. Sports journalist Kevin Blackistone, who also serves as a co-producer, offers his thoughts.

Imagining the Indian brings an important voice to the conversation about Native American mascoting.

DIRECTORS: Aviva Kempner and Ben West
SCREENWRITERS: Barbara Ballow, Sam Bardley, Kevin Blackistone, Yancey Burns, Aviva Kempner, and Ben West
FEATURING: Suzan Shown Harjo, Deb Haaland, Billy Mills, Joy Harjo, Bob Costas, W. Richard West, Jamie Raskin, Kevin Gover, Marshall McKay, Derrick Johnson, Kevin Blackistone, Christine Brennan, Phil Deloria, Charles Mann, Jerry Izenberg

The Ciesla Foundation released Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting in theaters on March 31, 2023. Grade: 3.5/5

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