NFL's Redskins face calls to change name, prompting Blackfeet chief's family to demand image back

The relatives of the Blackfeet chief who represented the Washington Redskins for 48 years want his image reinstated on NFL fields, they told Planet Chronicle Digital.

The descendants of John Two Guns White Calf also desire his remarkable life story to be retold to a new generation of Americans who appreciate diversity and seek unity.

The Washington Commanders, along with one of their Montana senators, provide support to the White Calf family in Washington, D.C.

Thomas White Calf, a great nephew of the celebrated early-20th-century native, stated this week by phone that both the fans and the family want the individual back.

From 1972 to 2020, the Two Guns White Calf's portrait was featured on Redskins helmets, T-shirts, playing fields, and marketing materials.

Delphine White Calf, a niece of the late Blackfeet chief, joined her son, White Calf, on the call to discuss their ancestor, who was the most famous and most photographed native in history.

"The Indian head nickel also bore the face of Two Guns, and the Blackfeet are proud of him."

"I’m proud of him. The Blackfeet are proud of him." - Thomas White Calf

The NFL removed White Calf's portrait and the name Redskins in 2020 due to growing public pressure, largely driven by the National Congress of American Indians, which was funded by George Soros.

Despite polls showing 90% of Native Americans supporting the team name and White Calf portrait, the celebrated Blackfeet chief and his life story were canceled.

On a Blackfeet reservation in Montana, Thomas White Calf states that his family was not consulted and did not support the removal of Two Guns White Calf's image from the NFL.

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., stated in an email to Planet Chronicle Digital that this is about correcting a mistake.

"Our nation's greatness is a result of its rich Native American history, which should be celebrated with enthusiasm across our culture."

In 2023, a group of investors led by Josh Harris purchased the Washington Commanders, inheriting the controversy surrounding the team's name and image.

The franchise is considering the possibility of bringing back White Calf's image.

A spokesperson for the Commanders stated that they are working with Sen. Daines to pay tribute to the heritage of their team and the Native American community.

"This is about righting a wrong." - Sen. Steve Daines

"We have established a positive relationship with Ryan Wetzel, the grandson of Walter ‘Blackie’ Wetzel, who designed our logo, at the senator's suggestion. We eagerly anticipate commemorating that legacy."

In 1972, the team adopted the portrait of Two Guns White Calf, which was created by Blackie Wetzel, a late Blackfeet tribal leader, with broad support from Native American groups in 1971.

In 1872, White Calf was born in Montana and later gained international recognition for his efforts to protect Native American culture.

In Washington, D.C., he advocated for Native causes and had close contact with President Calvin Coolidge, helping to mend the divide between cultures.

According to various reports, White Calf served as the model for the face on the 1913 Indian head nickel, which became a well-known figure in the United States. His passing in 1934 was significant enough to warrant a New York Times obituary.

The tribute acknowledged that he played a role in designating Coolidge as an honorary chief of the Blackfeet tribe.

In 2013, the National Congress of American Indians published a report titled "Ending the Legacy of Racism in Sports & The Era of Harmful ‘Indian’ Sports Mascots," which led to the defeat of the celebrated Blackfeet leader.

The 29-page dissertation contained a 3,650-word history of the Redskins and its "legacy of racism," which critics pointed out had a significant oversight. Despite being the face of the Redskins franchise for 48 years, Chief Two Guns White Calf was never mentioned in the report.

Earlier this year, historian Andre Billeaudeaux, author of "How the Redskins Got Their Name," informed Planet Chronicle Digital that Two Guns White Calf was a real person and not a mascot, and he was canceled.

The Redskins name is still considered politically toxic, but the return of White Calf's image is being considered.

The source claimed that the team went too far by removing the White Calf image and the name.

Daines stated that the renowned Blackfeet logo, which was endorsed by Blackie Wetzel and modeled after the image of Chief Two Guns White Calf, should be reinstated in a position of esteem.

The NFL franchise is recognizing the Wetzel family for honoring Two Guns White Calf, but the Blackfeet chief's family claims they have been ignored by the organization for decades.

Thomas White Calf stated that they desired a seat at the table.

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