American automaker Jeep has been making the Cherokee SUV since 1974. But in February, the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation called for Jeep to change the name of its vehicle.
“I think we’re in the day and age in this country where it’s time for both corporations and team sports to retire the use of Native Americans names, images, and mascots from their products, team jerseys, and sports in general,” Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. said.
Amsterdam-based Stellantis is now Jeep’s parent company. Cherokee was a name carefully selected and “nurtured to honor and celebrate Native American people for their nobility, prowess, and pride,” a Jeep spokesperson said in a statement.
The vehicle name controversy is an extension of calls to drop the use of Native American names and images, especially from sports teams. The Washington Redskins football team and Cleveland Indians baseball team, for example, succumbed to pressure by announcing they would drop the use of their name and logo. In addition, Land O Lakes butter recently removed its logo of a kneeling Indian woman from its packaging for its 100th anniversary.
Car and Driver reported in February that the Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation requested that Jeep discontinue using the vehicle’s name.
The request for Jeep to discontinue using the name comes as the automaker prepares to launch the new Grand Cherokee, according to the Car and Driver article. Grand Cherokee is Jeep’s best-selling vehicle. Along with the Cherokee, the two vehicles made up more than 40 percent of Jeep’s total sales in 2020.
Jeep has reportedly declined to stop using the name Cherokee on its vehicles. While indicating it respects the Cherokee Nation and is committed to an open dialogue, Jeep will continue to use the name. The 2022 models will be available in the fall.
Only time will tell if Jeep, or other brands and products, will succumb to public pressure to change their Native American names and logos.
Image from: jeep.com
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