Chicago Blackhawks stand by name and logo

The Chicago Blackhawks have reacted to the new movement of teams evaluating their names and logos that may be offensive to some people.

There has been a lot of movement in the right direction as far as the American population doing what they can to promote equality. Well, one of the biggest platforms to do that is sports. We love our sports but acting like there have been issues deeply rooted in them is irresponsible. Some teams have names and logos that are clearly offensive and some are on the fence. The Chicago Blackhawks have recently reacted to some of these storylines.

It mostly began last week when the Washington football team was told by many sponsors that they need to change their name otherwise their sponsorships are going to be gone. Their owner, Dan Snyder, has repeatedly said they are never going to change their name but now that it is threatening his pocketbook, the name is on its way out.

Even the Cleveland Indians, who already removed their offensive logo in recent years, have also said they are going to evaluate the situation with their name. Their superstar shortstop, Francisco Lindor has backed that stance along with their manager Terry Francona who is widely considered one of the best coaches in the league.

Of course, all of this has caused the Blackhawks to evaluate themselves because their name and logo use Native American heritage as well. When they were purchased in 1926, then new owner Frederic McLaughlin named the team the “Black Hawks” to honor the unit he served with in World War I. The Wirtz family shortened it to the Blackhawks in the 1980s.

Chief Black Hawk was a led a group of Sauk warriors during the 1932 battle called the Black Hawk War. He was captured by US forces before being freed but the story has relevance to Illinois because Black Hawk led his group there which is another part of why it is the name for Chicago’s hockey team.

The Blackhawks released a lengthy statement on the matter:

In this statement, they appear to be sincere to the fact that they use the name to promote the legacy of Black Hawk and how his life inspired many generations of Native American people. There are going to be people that like this stance, there are going to be people who don’t like that we’re having this conversation at all, and there are going to be people who think they absolutely are making the wrong decision by not making some changes.

Hopefully, at the very least, as hockey and the Chicago Blackhawks continue to grow in this country, the organization continues to use its platform to contribute to Native American people and educate people on the legacy of Black Hawk, the team name, and logo. It is good to see sports teams driving the conversation to see how they can make things better for all people. Right now, it seems like Chicago is going to keep its name but you never know where the conversation takes us.