Relatives of the man John Two Guns White Calf, whose profile served as the face of the Washington, D.C., professional football team for 48 years, want his likeness returned to the franchise. Thomas White Calf, a great-nephew of the late Blackfeet Nation chief, said, “The fans want him back, and we want him back.” Washington changed its name in 2020 to the Washington Football Team following complaints over the term “Redskins,” which has historically been used as a slur against indigenous peoples in North America. The team has gone by the Washington Commanders since 2022. However, with new ownership and a lukewarm reception to the Commanders name, a proposed change is on the table.
“Our ancestor was the most famous and most photographed native in history,” Thomas White Calf said in the interview. “Two Guns was also the face on the Indian head nickel. I’m proud of him. The Blackfeet are proud of him.”
It’s important to note that other descendants of Two Guns have not openly supported this idea. Blackfeet Nation Councilman Everett Armstrong told the Associated Press his family has been left out of the conversation. Armstrong, a descendant of White Calf himself, said they were not consulted about the name in the 1970s and have never been asked about it since.
Will the Commanders go back to their old name?
The original logo was designed by a member of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana in the early ’70s. This has led some to take pride in the depiction and the man who helped design it. Walter “Blackie” Wetzel, a former Blackfeet Nation tribal chairman and former president of the National Congress of the American Indian, the country’s oldest Native American and Alaska Native advocacy organization, designed the logo. The Commanders honored Wetzel's legacy when they hosted the New York Giants.
In 2023, the Native American Guardians Association created an online petition advocating a return to the name and logo to honor “the bravery, resilience, and warrior spirit associated with Native American culture.” So, with support to return to their old name, will the organization consider it? Well, Washington president Jason Wright said that under no circumstance will the Commanders be changing their name back to Redskins.
“It is not being considered. period.”
For many, the name is a painful reminder of racism, oppression, and colonization. The recent change to Commanders came as a victory for ethical representation. Washington not embracing its past and looking toward the future is a welcome sign. The fans should feel the same way.
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