The Congress Critters in Dee Cee and the LSM are up in arms over the Washington Redskin logo. Yet, the man who suggested the Indian Chief logo for the team was Walter “Blackie” Wetzel, a Blackfeet Nation political leader and then president of the National Congress of American Indians.

From the Helenair, November 2003:



“Back then, (in the 1960s) there was only the letter “R” on the helmet, so I requested a few pictures to be sent down from my reservation of Indian chiefs,” Wetzel explained.

Walter “Blackie” Wetzel said he walked into the office of the Washington Redskins and said, “I came here to see you guys about seeing a real Indian on the helmets.”

He said a person told him that they would look over his proposal and consider it.

After the team finally picked his idea, he said, he felt really proud — and has ever since — seeing the Indian chief on the helmet.