For a while now, Mother Jones’ editorial style guide has included an effective workaround for references to the NFL team in Washington, DC, whose name is a racial slur: “Refer to the NFL team in DC as ‘Washington,’ ‘Washington’s NFL team,’ or ‘the Washington [Redacted].’” Our guideline, like the team name itself, is due for an update as good news and hopeful headlines come in: The team is officially dropping its name after decades of public pressure from human rights campaigns, including petitions, protests, and lawsuits. The search for a new name and logo is on.
One of the leaders whose organizing laid the groundwork for the change is Carla Fredericks, an associate professor at the University of Colorado Law School, who directs the American Indian Law Clinic and is faculty director for First Peoples Worldwide. “We’ve waited a long time for this,” she told CU Boulder Today. Read more about Fredericks and the historic milestone, and share ideas for new names at recharge@motherjones.com.
