Banned Mascots

American Indian Mascot & Nickname Changes
Compiled by Jay Rosenstein, Associate Professor, University of Illinois
Please cite or credit the above individual if using the information
Please report any additions or changes to jrosenst@uiuc.edu
© 2007 Jay Rosenstein


1969, Oct. 12 – Dartmouth College, originally founded to educate American Indians, changes from the Indians to Big Green.
1971 – Marquette University (WI) abolishes Willie Wampum mascot.
1971 – Mankato State College (Minn) drops Indian caricature mascot.
1972, March 2 – Stanford University changes from Indians to Cardinal and drops Prince Lightfoot mascot.
1972 – Dickinson State University (ND) changes from Savages to Blue Hawks.
1973 – University of Oklahoma drops Little Red mascot.
1973 -- Eastern Washington University changes from Savages to the Eagles.
1978 – Syracuse University (NY) drops Saltine Warrior mascot.
1980 – Southern Oregon State University drops Red Raiders motif.
1987-88 – St. John’s University (NY) drops caricature logo and mascot.
1988 – Siena College (NY) changes from Indians to Saints.
1988 – Saint Mary’s College (Minn) changes from Red Men to Cardinals.
1989 – Montclair State College (NJ) drops nickname and mascot.
1989, Oct. 13 – Bradley University (IL) drops mascot and replaces Indian caricature logo.
1991, Feb. – Eastern Michigan University changes from Hurons to Eagles on recommendation of a state civil rights commission.
1992 – Naperville Central High School (IL) drops nickname Redskins.
1992 -- Simpson College (IA) changes from Redmen to Storm.
1993 – Arkansas State University drops Runnin’ Joe mascot.
1993 - Arvada High School (CO) changes from Redskins to Reds.
1993, April 9 – University of Wisconsin passes a resolution refusing to play non-conference games against teams with Indian nicknames.
1993, Nov. 2 – Bradley University (IL) adopts Bobcats mascot and drops all Indian references in its logo, but keeps nickname Braves.
1994, April – University of Iowa bans the University of Illinois mascot, Chief Illiniwek and announces it won’t schedule games with teams with Indian mascots.
1994, May 2 – Juanita College (PA) changes from Indians to Eagles. According to committee chair Charles C. Brown, Jr., “the utilization of a cultural stereotype as a mascot is inconsistent with the educational mission of the college.”
1994, May 3 – Marquette University (WI) changes from Warriors to Golden Eagles.
1994, June 6 – St. John’s University (NY) changes from Redmen to Red Storm.
1994, Dec. 8 – University of Southern Colorado drops Indian mascot after 57 years.
1994 (?) – Montclair State College (NJ) changes from Indians to Red Hawks,
1996, March 31 – Newton High School (Conn) announces they will drop their Indian mascot.
1996, July 3 – University of Tennessee-Chattanooga drops mascot, Chief Moccanooga.
1996, Sept. 26 – Miami of Ohio University votes 7-1 to drop nickname Redskins after being used for 68 years.
1997 -- Marist High School (IL) changed from Redskins to Redhawks.
1998, March 20 – Yakima Valley Community College (WA) drops Indian nickname.
1998, April 7 – Federal judge in Los Angeles upholds district policy banning Indian mascots at all of its schools.
1998, April 22 – Southern Nazarene University (OK) changes from Redskins to Crimson Storm. According to the school’s president “with the increased attention in the country to do it, we just did not want to be the last to make a change, and I feel eventually most schools with that kind of mascot or nickname will do.”
1999. March 5 – Indiana University of Pennsylvania announces it will retain nickname Indians, but change mascot to a black bear.
1999, March 5 – Erwin High School, Asheville, NC discontinues calling girl’s teams Squaws, but retains Warriors nickname.
1999 – Since 1991, 25 Wisconsin schools have eliminated Indian mascots or nicknames; 43 remain.
1999, June – Seattle University (WA) changes from Chieftains to Redhawks and drops its Indian head logo.
2000, Sept. 22 – Scarborough (Maine) High School drops nickname Redskins.
2000, Oct. 17 – Niles West High School (IL) drops nickname Indians.
2001, May 10 – Southwestern College (CA) changes mascot from Apache to Jaguar.
2001. May 21 – Woonsocket High School (SD) votes to drop Redmen nickname and mascot by 3-2 board vote.
2001. May 25 - San Diego State University (CA) drops Montey Montezuma mascot.
2001. May 27 – Parsippany High School (NJ) changes from Redskins to Redhawks.
2001, June 10 – Saranac Lake High School (NY) changes from Redskins to Red Storm by 6-1 school board vote.
2001, June 13 – Canastota High School (NY) drops Indian mascot by 6-0 board vote.
2001, June 20 – Ball-Chatham school board (IL) votes 5-2 to get rid of Indian mascots and nicknames in district schools. Chatham Glenwood High School changes to Titans from Redskins, and Glenwood Junior High no longer Braves.
2001, July 11 --West Seattle High School (WA) drops nickname Indians.
2001, July 19 – Georgetown High School (SC) drops Waccamaw Warriors symbol.
2001, July 25 – Maryland State School Board passes resolution opposing Indian mascots by 10-2 vote.
2001, August – Bloomington High School (IL) drops Red Raiders nickname.
2001, August 15 – Colgate University drops word “Red” from “Red Raiders” nickname.
2001, August 29 -- Montgomery School Board (Maryland), largest school system in the state, bans Indian mascots, logos, and nicknames by 7-1 vote. Included is Poolesville High School, which was the Indians. Montgomery Village Middle School had voluntarily stopped using the nickname Warriors.
2002, Feb. 25 – Milford High School (MI) drops Redskins.
2004, July 6 – Ottawa Hills High School (MI) drops Indian mascot.
2004, July 12 – Rice Memorial High School (VT) retires “Little Indian” mascot.
2004, Nov. 8 – Southeast Missouri State changes from Indians to Redhawks.
2005, Sept. 23 – Old Town High School (Maine) drops Indian nickname.
2005, Oct. 10 – Carthage College changes from Redmen to Red Men. NCAA removes them from list.
2005, Oct. 10 – Midwestern State University drops Indians. NCAA removes them from list.
2006, Jan. 8 – West Georgia University changes from Braves to Wolves.
2006, Jan. 20 – Southeastern Oklahoma State University changes from Savages to Savage Storm.
2006, Jan. 26 – Chowan College (NC) drops Braves nickname and mascot.
2006. Jan. 30 – Muscatine Community College (Iowa) drops Indians nickname and mascot.
2006, March 23 – Kelseyville High School (CA) drops “Indians” nickname, and Mountain Vista Middle School (CA) drops “Braves” nickname.
2006, April 8 – University of Louisiana-Monroe changes from Indians to Warhawks after being one of 18 schools on the NCAA list. References to the campus as “the Reservation” also stopped.
2006, Oct. 10 – College of William and Mary (VA) announces it will remove two feathers from its logo to comply with NCAA rule.
2006, Oct. 20 – Tomah (WI) School Board drops Indian mascot and logo by 4-1 board vote.
2006, Nov. 12 – Newberry College (SC) drops Indian nickname. NCAA removes them from banned list.
2006, Dec. 14 – Ypsilanti High School (MI) drops nickname Braves on a 4-3 board vote.
2007, Jan. 19 – Salesian High School (CA) changes from Chieftains to Pride.
2007, Feb. 17 -- the University of Illinois Board of Trustees announces it will remove Chief Illiniwek from performing at athletic events after Feb. 21, 2007.
2007, March 13 -- the University of Illinois Board of Trustees passes a resolution officially eliminating Chief Illiniwek, discontinuing the use of its Chief head logo, regalia, and the names "Chief Illiniwek" and "Chief." It passes by a 9-1 vote.