Chevy Apache, Dodge Dakota, Winnebago...the US auto industry has a long history of using Native American monikers and imagery. But yesterday, the Cherokee Nation said it's had enough.
Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. requested that Jeep stop using his tribe's name on its Cherokee and Grand Cherokee SUVs, which together account for more than 40% of the brand's total sales.
Jeep said its vehicle names "celebrate Native American people for their nobility, prowess, and pride." Hoskin disagrees. "The best way to honor us is to learn about our sovereign government, our role in this country, our history, culture, and language and have meaningful dialogue with federally recognized tribes on cultural appropriateness," he told Car and Driver.
Zoom out: In the last year, amid national conversations around racial justice, Land O'Lakes dropped a Native American woman from its packaging, and Cleveland's MLB team and DC's NFL team are changing their names.