WASHINGTON, D.C. | “NCAI condemns the President’s continued use of the name ‘Pocahontas’ as an insult for political gain. Not only does it disrespect Pocahontas’ legacy and life, it likens her name to a slur. For centuries Native people have endured such slurs – from ‘R*dskins’ to ‘Injuns’ to ‘savages’ – that the forces of racism and intolerance deploy to dehumanize our people, mock our cultures, and interfere with our inherent right to control our own lands and destinies,” said NCAI CEO Kevin Allis. “These pejorative terms dismiss our rightful place as this country’s First Americans, and ignore the immense contributions that tribal nations and peoples have made and continue to make to America. Silence in the face of such divisive behavior and degrading rhetoric is complicity. We call on all Americans to denounce the continued use of such terms and the sentiments they express.”

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About the National Congress of American Indians: