1966: Car dealership logo of racist logo: "No ridicule of any race is intended or should be inferred. Henry, as we call the Anoka Pontiac Indian, is a mythological character of a renegade who was kicked out of his equally mythical tribe for scalping prices."

1966 Oct 20 Star Tribune 

Wart on Emblem Removed

Auto Dealer Denies
Ridicule of Indians

by Sam Newlund (Minneapolis Tribune Starr Writer) 

1966 Oct 21 Star Tribune 

      The president of an Anoka auto firm issued a statement .. assuring Indians that a comic caricature of a wart-nosed Indian on the firm's front window was not meant to ridicule American Indians.

     [They removed the war with a razor blade.] 

     Five Indians drove to Anoka .. to protest the window sign, which shows a leering, long-nosed Indian with his tongue sticking out. The sign promised "heap big bargains" on Pontiac cars. 

      The Indians complained that the sign was an affront to the dignity of Indian citizens. 

     [Phyllis Lahn, president of Anoka Pontiac Garage] issued a statement saying:

      "The Indian is a traditional advertising symbol of Pontiac Motors used by us and Pontiac dealers through the nation similar to the Indian maid used by Minneapolis Gas Co and several other nationally known products. 

     "No ridicule of any race is intended or should be inferred. Henry, as we call the Anoka Pontiac Indian, is a mythological character of a renegade  who was kicked out of his equally mythical tribe for scalping prices. 

      Gerald R. Vizenor.. spokesmen for the Indian group, said: "We never intended to change the personal feelings of the owner of the property. We only wished to bring to public attention a sensitivity on our part." 

... Miss Lahn said several telephone callers urged her not to remove the Indian from the window entirely. At least one mother, she said, told her that her children would cry if she did.

      There is precedent for the protest. The Pillsbury Co. for example, agreed recently to change the name of a soft drink from "Injun Orange" to "Jolly Olly Orange," after Indian groups objected. 

Car Dealer Drops

Indian Caricature

1966 Nov 5. Star Tribune 

      An Anoka auto dealer has removed a window caricature that angered a group of Minneapolis Indians. 

      Phyllis Lahn, president of Anoka Pontiac Garage, issued a statement conceding that the painted Indian, which she called Henry, "must go." 

      ... Lahn said: "Henry was never intended to be offensive to any person or race, and we did not realize that Henry had so many friends until recently when a group of persons took exception to his looks."

      She said she had received "many hundreds of phone calls" since the complaint was publicized and that none of the callers wanted the sign removed.

      "However," she continued, "if Henry's leaving will in any way contribute to the benefit of any class of people, we know that Henry's wish would be to go." 

      She added that one of Henry's "cousins," whom she identified as "a very attractive Indian princess," would take Henry's place in the window. 

1966 Oct 21 Star Tribune 

1966 Nov 5. Star Tribune