Many Feathers and Much Paint Don't Make an Indian

"There's no question about it that having the Crazy Horse name on a bottle of beer is racist, demeaning and in bad taste," Randall Tigue, attorney for Hornell Brewing Co. of New York. But, the name is also protected by the First Amendment right to free speech, the company argues. They also claimed that it was censorship by the US government, which is unconstitutional.       Those who represent Crazy Horse, his legacy and his tribal people charged that the name should be banned because it was a "misappropriation of the name" and that the Sioux leader would not have approved.  1996. June 21 Great Falls Tribune  "For years, American Indian activists have struggled with limited success against the use of sports mascots and team names that they find offensive. Beyond team names, there is a growing movement in several states to remove from geographic designations the word squaw...." "But activists concede that progress has been slow on this is...

1992, May 20 - Surgeon General Antonia Novello and representatives of Native American groups .. blasted a new malt liquor called "Crazy Horse," charging that it was specifically aimed at American Indians and underage drinkers. ~ 1992. May 20 Northwest Herald  1992. May 20 Northwest Herald  1992, Sept 15. The Wall Street Journal.  The Second Murder of Crazy Horse By James Bovard  - this article gives an excellent timeline of the Crazy Horse Malt Liquor (introduced in March 1992 by Hornell Brewing Co) controversy and protest. "The resulting political feeding frenzy may result in the first crucifixion of an American corporation for the sin of “commercial blasphemy.” "                                                             Quotes from the article Rep. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (D., Colo.) declared that the sa...

Can't use 'Crazy Horse' Label 1987, Dec 26 Indiana Gazette        Washington - Surgeon General Antonia Novello declared triumph over a New York company that had refused to change the name of Crazy Horse malt liquor to satisfy Native Americans who found the brand offensive.       In October, Congress passed a measure effectively preventing the Hornell Brewing Co. of Brooklyn, NY, from using labels with the name Crazy Horse on the beer they distribute. The provision, in an appropriations bill, instructed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to rescind approval for the labels and deny any future applications to use that name.  1987, Dec 26 Indiana Gazette  Indian rights fight ends beer deal 1988, June 4 Chicago Tribune        Wausau, Wis - Citing controversy surrounding Treaty Beer, a Cincinnati brewery said Friday it would no longer fill cans with the private brew designed to raise money to fight ...

Our Indian Citizens 1962, Sep 19 Star Tribune       Many white Americans do not know that the oldest Americans, the American Indians, have been full citizens for a long time. Some believe that Indians cannot vote or cannot buy a drink legally. This is simply no longer true.       Blanket citizenship, with fill voting rights, was conferred on all Indians by Congress on June 2, 1924, in the American Indian Citizenship Act. Even before that certain Indians had had citizenship through service in the armed forces, by specific provisions of certain Indian treaties or by terms of land tenure conferred by act of Congress.       Since 1953 there has been no national Indian prohibition. Congress repealed the Indian prohibition laws Aug 15, 1953. Before that time it was, of course, illegal to sell liquor to an Indian or even to take liquor onto an Indian reservation. Some Indian reservations, by tribal law, still restrict liquor but this is a m...

1951, Feb 3 Arizona Republic  1953, Sep 12 Albuquerque Journal  1953, Sep 13 Albuquerque Journal  1953, Sep 12 Las Vegas Daily Optic  1953, Sep 11 The Gallup Independent 

This company survived prohibition by brewing soda, until going back into alcohol in the 1930's. The company ended in the 1970's. From 1832 until 1953, a federal law was in effect that prohibited the sale of alcohol to Native Americans. In 1953, the power to regulate alcohol on their land was transferred over to the tribes themselves. Many of the products that used American Indian images and names were brewing well before the 1953 law, and many during their prohibition. They could not drink the alcohol that their images were selling - even though they were American citizens, war veterans, off-reservation, or carrying a doctoral or law degree. The irony of the Iroquois Beer Company is madding.  Below is a few examples of the advertisements they used during their years in business.