One Brand Quietly Keeping Their Racist Logo While Everyone Else Changes

It has been a disruptive moment in the storied history of long-standing racist brands and their logos. PepsiCo announced they are rebranding Aunt Jemima pancake mix after 131 years and similar era brands Uncle Ben's and Mrs. Butterworth also announced they will follow suit. Several weeks ago, Land O'Lakes also dropped the Native American girl image from their branding. One brand, however, is managing to quietly sidestep the controversy as it always has: the Washington Redskins.

I grew up in the Washington DC area as a huge fan of the NFL team in the 80's (when they were winning Super Bowls), but in recent years my enthusiasm has soured not only because the team has been terrible, but also because of the stubborn refusal of the team's owner to consider the valid concerns of Native Americans. While there are other professional sports teams with problematic names (ie - Chiefs, Braves and Indians), arguably none of those are quite as offensive as the Redskins, a term used derogatorily toward Native Americans in the past.

As the world sees momentum from the #BLM movement, it's important not to leave underrepresented groups behind. If a 131 year old pancake brand can change, so can the obviously racist name of a football team. Until then, I'm going to continue to avoid giving my money or attention to Daniel Snyder's team. They'll probably be unwatchable again this year anyway.