NATIONAL COALITION ON RACISM IN SPORTS AND MEDIA
National Offices
PO BOX 13521
Dinkytown Station
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414
Phone 612-721-3914
FAX 612-721-7826

Press Statement
For Immediate Release Wednesday, March 9, 1994
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado College - Wess room - Worner Center
9:15AM - 10:15 AM

Colorado State Capitol
Press Room -3rd Floor
1:45PM - 2:45 PM

Cahuilla Red Elk
Executive Director
American Indian Movement-Colorado and Representative
National Coalition on Sports and
Media N.C.R.S.M.

Vernon Bellecourt
President National Coalition on Racism and Sports and Media National
Representative of the American Indian Movement National Office

On tuesday, March 8, 1994 Mr Vernon Bellecourt, along with Mrs. Cahuilla Red Elk met with Mr Bill Randall Commissioner of the Colorado Department of Education.

At this meeting, the N.C.R.S.M. Representatives urged Mr. Randall to request that the Colorado Department of Education adopt the Minnesota Department of Education model which directed the more than fifty (50) Minnesota High School that use Indian names, logos, mascots and imagery in their athletic programs to change their names. To date, more than half have voluntarily made the changes, others are in the process of changing. It is estimated that hundreds more nationwide are following the example set by Minnesota. Mr Bellecourt, the President of N.C.R.S.M. the organization which is at the forefront of the campaign to cleanse amateur and professional sports of the use of demeaning, degrading logos, mascots, and imagery said," We are a living people with a living culture and a traditional spiritual way of life and we refuse to have our culture and spiritual symbols continue to be used for American fun and games."

Here in Colorado some of the most offensive are the Arvada ***Redskins, the Cheyenne Mountain Indians, and the most offensive is the Lamar Savages which was the site of the Sand Creek Massacre of Chief Black Kettle and the Cheyenne.

Cahuilla Red Elk stated that "if Lamar High School insists on retaining the name 'Savages' then they should eliminate all Indian themes and replace their mascot with a caricature of Colonel John Chivington, the Methodist minister. Additionally, they could dress up their marching band in the uniforms of the Colorado volunteers". Mrs Red Elk went on to ask, "Who are the real savages?"

The representatives of N.C.R.S.M. and AIM will officially present their request at 2:00 PM tot he state board of Education who will be meeting at the State Office building 201 East Colfax Avenue in Denver on Thursday, March 10th.