Illinois Legislature Advances Bill Banning Native American Mascot Imagery

At the Illinois Capitol during the 2025 Native American Summit, advocates highlighted efforts to pass legislation banning offensive Native American imagery in school mascots, emphasizing that such portrayals freeze Native identity in a harmful, outdated form. Speakers such as Matt Beaudet of the Montauk Tribe and Andrew Johnson of the Cherokee Nation stressed the importance of authentic regalia as a symbol of respect and honor, contrasting it with the disrespectful 'costuming' seen in mascot depictions that distort Native history. These advocates are part of a working group led by state Rep. Maurice West, which has achieved significant progress on Native issues in Illinois government. Their work centers on correcting misconceptions and promoting accurate representation to preserve Native identity and history. Separately, historical context reveals that European colonizers and American settlers misused biblical texts to justify the displacement and oppression of Native Americans, framing North America as a divinely sanctioned territory and rationalizing violence and cultural genocide. This distorted religious narrative facilitated centuries of exploitation and forced removal, deepening the challenges faced by Native communities today.