Blackhawks announce official decision on controversial team logo!

Chicago Blackhawks insider Scott Powers of The Athletic recently put together an article on showing everything that goes into both sides of the argument involving the team logo. As you know, the Hawks logo has been controversial since 1926 when the Chicago Tribune announced the creation of a local hockey team. As Powers points out, the Blackhawks’ logo debate has never reached the levels of the Redskins and Indians, but it has gotten more scrutiny since the tragic death of George Floyd. The focus has been largely been on systemic racism and oppression against Black people, but the dialogue has expanded to other races and issues, including the Indigenous experience in hockey and the appropriateness of Native American imagery.

The debate got more intense last week when the Washington Redskins in the National Football League have gotten a lot of heat over the several past years and on Friday, the club announced that it is undergoing a thorough review of the team’s name.

It did not take long for fans to wonder if the same thing will take place in the National Hockey League, with the Blackhawks.

On Tuesday, the franchise announced that it will keep their name and logo but are committing to “raising the bar even higher” in their efforts to increase awareness of Native American culture, according to a team statement.

Here is the entire statement: 

“The Chicago Blackhawks name and logo symbolizes an important and historic person, Black Hawk of Illinois’ Sac & Fox Nation, whose leadership and life has inspired generations of Native Americans, veterans and the public.

We celebrate Black Hawk’s legacy by offering ongoing reverent examples of Native American culture, traditions and contributions, providing a platform for genuine dialogue with local and national Native American groups. As the team’s popularity grew over the past decade, so did that platform and our work with these important organizations.

We recognize there is a fine line between respect and disrespect, and we commend other teams for their willingness to engage in that conversation.

Moving forward, we are committed to raising the bar even higher to expand awareness of Black Hawk and the important contributions of all Native American people.

We will continue to serve as stewards of our name and identity, and will do so with a commitment to evolve. Our endeavors in this area have been sincere and multi-faceted, and the path forward will draw on that experience to grow as an organization and expand our efforts.”

The Hawks will also frequently honor Native Americans with pregame ovations and intermission performances.

While Hawks management have made their choice clear, many fans want to know what the team’s players think about it. Ask captain Jonathan Toews, who was quite vocal after Floyd’s death and the debate on racism.

“I can’t pretend for a second that I know what it feels like to walk in a black man’s shoes,” Toews wrote. “However, seeing the video of George Floyd’s death and the violent reaction across the country moved me to tears. It has pushed me to think, how much pain are black people and other minorities really feeling? What have Native American people dealt with in both Canada and US? What is it really like to grow up in their world? Where am I ignorant about the privileges that I may have that others don’t?”

For now, only the Redskins are on the verge of making a possible (historic) change, while in the Major League Baseball, the Indians and Braves are considering options to change names and logos as well.