Tracey Anderson, Lakeside High School, DeKalb County Schools, Decatur, Georgia
This is a two or three day lesson designed for a high school English language and grammar class that uses a variety of
sources that have students consider significant issues related to the American frontier experience and its ongoing legacy.
The prompts lead students to formulate an informed opinion on the use of Native American symbols as school mascots.
Unit: Myth or History
Concepts: The Frontier/Manifest Destiny/Native American Identity
Initial Readings
1. Loewen, James. Lies My Teacher Told Me. Touchstone, 1996. Chapter 1: “Handicapped by History.”
2. Thomas, David Hurst. Skull Wars. Basic Books, 2000. Chapter 1: “Columbus, Arawarks, and Caribs: The Power
to Name.”
Identity Readings
1. President Andrew Jackson‟s Message to Congress: “ Indian Removal “ (1830) at
http://www.nps.gov/museum/tmc/manz/handouts/Andrew_Jackson_Annual_Message.pdf
2. Seneca Chief Red Jacket‟s Address to White Missionaries and Iroquois Six Nations (1805) at
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/nativeamericans/chiefredjacket.htm
3. Moos, Dan. Outside America: Race, Ethnicity, and the Role of the American West in National Belonging.
Dartmouth College Press, 2005. “Buffalo Bill‟s Object Lessons.”
4. Walbert, Kathryn. “American Indian vs. Native American: A Note on Terminology.” The North Carolina
Humanities Council. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nc-american-indians/5526
5. Deloria, Vin. Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto. Macmillan, 1969. “Indian Humor.”
6. Lacroix, Celeste. “High Stakes Stereotypes: The Emergence of the „Casino Indian‟ Trope in Television
Depictions of Contemporary Native Americans.” The Howard Journal of Communication, 22: 1-23, 2011.
7. Cullier, David and Susan Dente Ross. “Gambling with Identity: Self-Representation of American Indians on
Official Tribal Websites.” The Howard Journal of Communication, 18: 197-219, 2007.
8. Knoebel, Michelle. “It‟s Just a Flag, Isn‟t It?”. Callaloo, Vol. 24, No. 1 (Winter, 2001), pp. 108-112.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
SECTION II
Total time-2 hours
(Suggested time—40 minutes. This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.)
Since the 1970s American Indians and organizations have worked to eliminate the use of Native American
mascots and images for schools and sports teams. In 2005 the National Collegiate Athletic Association banned
the use of Native American images or nicknames during post-season tournaments, and in May Oregon voted to
prohibit the use of Native American mascots at any of its state schools. Opponents of Native American team
names like the Washington Redskins argue that such uses not only mock and trivialize Native American culture
and religion but also cultivate racist attitudes. Those in support of using Native American mascots and images
claim that using Native American names and images not only honors American Indians but also promotes
Native American culture. In the case of the Florida State University, the Seminole Tribe of Florida helped
create the mascot. And the Ute Tribal Council has given the University of Utah permission to use the tribe‟s
name.
Carefully read the following seven sources, including the introductory information for each source. Then
synthesize information from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed
essay that evaluates the most important factors the federal government should consider in deciding whether to
prohibit all schools and sports teams from using Native American names, images, mascots, and logos.
Make sure your argument is central; use the sources to illustrate and support your reasoning. Avoid merely
summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct
quotation, paraphrase, or summary. You may cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc… or by using the
descriptions in parentheses.
Source A (Psychology magazine)
Vedantam, Shankar. “ Native American Imagery as Sports Mascots: A New Problem.”
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-hidden-brain/201003/native-american-imagery-sportsmascots-new-problem
Source B (Online blog)
Kline, R. Neal . “NCAA Native American Mascot Controversy.”
http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/ncaa-native-american-mascot-controversy/
Source C (a policy survey)
“Most Indians Say Name of Washington „Redskins‟ Is Acceptable, While 9 Percent Call It Offensive.”
http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/NewsDetails.aspx?myId=89
Source D (an online political newspaper)
Brovsky, Cindy. “Legislators Fume over Native American Mascots.”
http://coloradostatesman.com/content/991564-legislators-fume-over-native-american-mascots
Source E (from a nationally known newspaper)
Davey, Monica. “In Twist, Tribe Fights for College Nickname.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/us/09nickname.html
Source F (an online essay)
Rider, David P. “ „Indians‟ and Animals: A Comparative Essay.”
http://www.aistm.org/david_rider_essay.htm
Source G (an online comic website dedicated to Native American issues)
“Can You Imagine?”
http://www.bluecorncomics.com/wahoo.htm