Yale University's athletics department has apologized for the use of stereotypical and degrading images of Native Americans that were reproduced in the program for Saturday's football game against Dartmouth College.
Dartmouth has long abandoned its former team name, Indians, but many of the programs date to the era when the name was used and Yale (and other colleges) mocked the Indians in programs for athletic events.
On Twitter, Mary Kathryn Nagle, executive director for the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program, wrote, "Cannot believe that Yale and Dartmouth would use such dehumanizing images of redface at a football game," and tagged the account of a Twitter user who writes the blog Native Appropriations. She also tweeted the cover image.
Cannot believe that @Yale & #Dartmouth would use such dehumanizing images of #Redface at a football game @NativeApprops pic.twitter.com/JMn1GE7SKB
— Mary Kathryn Nagle (@MKNAGLE) October 9, 2016A statement from Yale athletics said:
"We apologize for yesterday's football game program cover that included historic artwork of insulting portrayals of indigenous people, images that we have long considered to be a violation of our values of mutual respect, equality and decency. We did not intend to perpetuate these portrayals or condone them. Our intention was to recognize the 100-game relationship between Dartmouth College and Yale University. We are truly sorry for the hurt this program cover caused, particularly for those from Native American communities. Yale Athletics is committed to representing the best of Yale and upholding the university's values, especially respect for all."
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