Many Feathers and Much Paint Don't Make an Indian

      Portland, Ore - Indians have disappeared from the sports pages of Oregon's largest newspaper, along with Braves, Redmen and Redskins.       The Oregonian has declared the nicknames of those sports teams offensive and will not print them.       "We do not expect the rest of the journalistic world to fall into line behind us, nor do we presume that our action will change any team names," Managing Editor Peter Thompson said in a statement.        "But we have concluded that we will not be a passive participant in perpetuating racial or cultural stereotypes in our community - whether by the use of nicknames or in any other way."       The Oregonian is believed to be the first major US newspaper to adopt such a policy.       In its Sunday editors, the 432,000-circulation paper dropped references to the Braves in an Associated Press story about part-time Atlanta Braves player Deion Sanders leaning toward a career with the Atlanta Falcons football team.

      An Indian newspaper will be established here, the first copy appearing probably Feb 15. Chiefs of the Five Civilized Tribes and other influential Indians are backing the movement.       The paper will be edited by Augustus W Ivey, of Stillwell, a Cherokee, and will appear weekly. It will be known as the "Degwanns Ahcheeta," which means farm and fireside.       Every department of the paper will be printed in some Indian language. 1910 Feb 10, Tyrone Daily Herald 

1901 Feb 3, St Louis Post Dispatch 

Pembroke, NC - About 50 Indian pickets marched around the oldest building on the Pembroke State University campus until dark... shouting "save Old Main." They were protesting plans of the school administration to tear down the 50-year-old structure and replace it with a modern $1.6 million arts center. The protesting Indians want the leaking old brick building preserved as a museum because they regard it as a symbol of the beginning of Indian higher education in North Carolina. 1972 Jan 14, Statesville Record and Landmark 

We live in Indian Country and we think all of us could take to heart the following article with the title "Indian Summer," which was published in Roy H. Copperud's column in Editor & Publisher , trade publication of the newspaper business:  Indian Summer 1965, Aug 3 I daho State Journal        “Newspapers no longer refer to a Negro woman as mammy or to a Negro child as a pickaninny, so why should they continue to use demeaning words in referring to Indians?       “The writing about the Indian dances at the White House does not give the dances nor the dancers the kind of dignity and respect to which they are entitled. What it does is to maintain a public image of Indians which I am afraid many people have.       “A couple of years ago there was newspaper criticism of the annual Mummers Day Parade in Philadelphia, pointing out that it held the Negro up to ridicule. This is exactly what I am trying to point out about the way newspapers write about Indians –

THE INDIAN'S HAIRCUTS                                                                            1903, Jan 11  Richmond Dispatch            The anthropologist, as well as the plain, everyday citizen, who likes to stick his nose into all sorts of curious things, will find much to interest him in the annual report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior, which has just been printed. This report gives the most accurate and detailed information about the progress of our aborigines and the steps the government is taking in its efforts to overcome the red man's instinctive aversion to work. We fancy, however, that the casual reader will devote most of his time to a careful consideration of what Commissioner W. A. Jones has to say in defense of the so-called "short-hair" order, which requires our agents to use their utmost tact and diplomacy in persuading the Indians to part with their long, black locks. Unfortunately for all concerned, the

One such column was called Daddy's Bedtime Story. This one was called "How Jackson Whipped the Indians." It's one-sided, erroneous and perpetuates a bias against Native Americans and focuses on the "us vs them" mentality of the day... so I felt it necessary to include it in this timeline. (Source: 1911, April 24   News Journal ) "Daddy," said Jack one evening, "the boys are going to play Indians tomorrow after school, and I'm going to be the chief. Won't you please tell me a fine story with plenty of fights in it?"           "Well," said daddy, "the only Indian story I have in mind is one in which all the Indians were killed, and that wouldn't be any good for you."           "Yes, it would," put in Evelyn, "cause Jack could change his part from an Indian chief to an American general and win the game."           "When you grow up, dearie," said daddy admiringly, "and b