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Why have sports organizations increasingly moved to ban Native American imagery and mascots? I grew up in Champaign, Illinois, where the University of Illinois’ Fighting Illini teams competed for decades with Chief Illiniwek as their official mascot. From 1926 until 2008, the Chief performed a traditional Native American inspired dance alongside the marching band during halftime, becoming a longstanding and recognizable part of the university’s identity.

The retirement of Chief Illiniwek followed growing controversy over whether the mascot was culturally or racially appropriate, a debate that intensified after criticism from individuals outside the local community. This sparked significant division within the university and among alumni over whether the Chief represented honor and tradition or perpetuated harmful stereotypes.

It is disappointing to some alumni and supporters that no coordinated effort particularly from donors in Illinois or the Midwest has emerged to preserve or revive the Chief, a symbol that many view as an important part of the university’s cultural and historical legacy.

What kind of mascot do you think Illinois should have?