Nostalgia aside, proposed Illinois legislation takes aim at school’s mascot; Part III
•April 3, 2024•
In a continuation of the discussion surrounding HB 5617, we take a look this week at the history of the name Sullivan uses for its identification: Redskins. Rep. Maurice West’s (D-Rockford) HB 5617 says “that a school board shall prohibit a school from using a native name, logo, or mascot that names, refers to, represents, or is associated with Native Americans, including aspects of Native American cultures and specific Native American tribes.”
Ask almost anyone in Sullivan how long the school has been the Redskins and the most common answer will be, “We’ve been the Redskins forever.” While it has been a long time, it hasn’t quite been forever.