Special Edition: Mascots, Stereotypes & Rebranding in Sports

The Washington Football Team is now the Washington Commanders. The change came two years after the team faced pressure from sponsors to drop the old mascot, logo, and name, which was seen as a racial slur. But this is just the latest change in a long-running national debate about the use of Native American imagery in sports.

Today we'll hear from social and cultural psychologist, Dr. Stephanie Fryberg. She's a professor at the University of Michigan and a member of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington State. She grew up on the reservation. Dr. Fryberg is a respected leader on this topic and has testified before Congress about her research.

Then later, we'll speak with the so-called "Mascot Guru," professional entertainer Jerome Bartlett. He's talking about what he feels a mascot means to the team and its fans, and what it's really like to be the one wearing the costume.

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Resources:

The Research for Indigenous Social Action and Equity Center at the University of Michigan

UC Berkeley article about Dr. Fryberg's 2020 study

The 2016 Washington Post poll

The Kansas City Chiefs on American Indian Heritage