Chronology of American Indian History

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name “Washington Redskins” for the professional
football team. Although National Football League
spokespeople maintain the name “honors” Ameri-
can Indians, the judges determine that it “may
disparage Native Americans and may bring them
into contempt or disrepute” and therefore cannot
be trademarked under a law that bans the licens-
ing of offensive material. The Indian litigants hope
that, out of fear of losing lucrative licensing con-
tracts, the team will change its name.
Instead, Pro-Football, Inc., will continue to
fight the ban by suing to reverse the decision in Fed-
eral District court. In September 2003, the court
finds in its favor. In July 2005, the Court of Appeals
for the D.C. Circuit will reverse that decision.

“Native children have good

names and they suffer from

this hateful, hurtful one. It

helps them to know that their

elders are doing something

about it, that our views are

validated in the justice sys-

tem and by myriad fair-minded

people.”

—Suzan Shown Harjo,

on her successful lawsuit to

extinguish the trademark on

“Washington Redskins”

May

The National Park Service surveys the site
of the Sand Creek Massacre.
An archaeological survey ordered by the National
Park Service to assess adding the site of the Sand
Creek Massacre to the park system is completed.
On this location in southeastern Colorado, on
November 29, 1864, Lt. Col. John Chivington
of the First and Third Regiments of the Colorado

Cavalry and 700 troops slaughtered about 200

Cheyenne men, women, and children in the camp

of Black Kettle (see entry for NOVEMBER 29,

1864). Legislation introduced by Northern Chey-

enne senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, and

passed into law in October 1998, called for this

survey to determine the feasibility for inclusion

in the park system. The survey found personal

ornaments, camp equipment, ammunition, hide

scrapers, arrowheads, and other items that lead

to the identification of Black Kettle’s camp. In

2005, Congress will pass the Sand Creek Massa-

cre National Historic Site Trust Act. The act will

add almost 1,500 acres to the site. The land will

be held in trust for the Cheyenne and Arapaho

Tribes of Oklahoma. (See also entry for OCTOBER

23, 2000.)

May 4

The Sacagawea (Sacajawea) coin is unveiled.

Leaders from 250 tribes gather at the White House

for a ceremony to unveil the design of a new

one-dollar coin featuring the faces of Sacagawea

(Sacajawea) (see entry for APRIL 1805) and her

Shoshone student Randy Teton stands with First Lady

Hillary Rodham Clinton before a blown-up image of

the Sacagawea dollar coin. Teton was the model for

the image of Sacagawea. (AP/Wide World Photos)