Chief Illiniwek History

Appendix A

"Chief Illiniwek History" time-line

(compiled by Jay Rosenstein and updated by the Equal Opportunity Committee)

10/30/26 - Chief Illiniwek first appears at the University of Illinois.

1988 - Native American Students, Staff and Faculty for Progress is formed as the sole Native American organization at UIUC.

10/25/89 - SGA passes resolution recommending that the use of Chief Illiniwek as a symbol and emblem be examined as an issue of civil rights.

11/8/89 - Senator Paul Simon signs a petition against Chief Illiniwek.

11/28/89 - The National Indian Education Association requests that Chief Illiniwek not be used as a mascot.

10/11/90 - The U of I Board of Trustees makes Chief Illiniwek the official symbol of the U of I by a 7-1-1 vote. Both student trustees, whose votes are only advisory, vote against.

10/2/91 - The U of I announces the Chief will no longer appear in the Homecoming Parade or pep rally.

1/11/93 - American Indian activist Michael Haney files a discrimination complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights.

4/10/93 - The University of Minnesota adopts a policy refusing to play non-conference games against teams with Indian nicknames or mascots.

10/29/93 - Chief Illiniwek symbols are banned from all Homecoming floats to prevent "misrepresentation."

1/94 - Native American students, Staff, and Faculty for Progress prepare a Media Information Packet about the issue of the Chief.

2/3/94 - The University of Iowa bans all Indian mascots, including Chief Illiniwek.

3/11/94 - Michael Haney's civil rights complaint is dismissed.

4/8/94 - A group of Native American students, staff, and faculty from the U of I file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education.

10/14/94 - The Inclusiveness Committee at the U of I, appointed by the Chancellor, recommends the Chief be eliminated.

10/20/94 - State Representative candidate Rick Winkel announces that if elected, he will introduce a bill guaranteeing Chief Illiniwek as the symbol of the U of I.

9/94 - The Senate EQ and GUP Committees discuss the issue of the Chief. GUP monitors the item.

12/9/94 - Members of the Clinical/Community Psychology Program and other faculty from the Psychology Department write to the American Psychological Association with the concern that Chief Illiniwek as a symbol violates the 1990 American Psychological Association guidelines for providers of psychological services.

1/25/95 - Representatives of the Alumni Association speak to GUP recommending continued support of the Chief.

3/15/95 Student members of EQ committee attend GUP meeting about the Chief.

3/9/95 - The Chief Illiniwek bill passes out of the Illinois House Higher Education Committee by an 8-4, straight party vote.

4/6/95 - The recommendation to drop Chief Illiniwek is left out of the Chancellor's final "Framework of the Future plan."

4/21/95 - The Chief Illiniwek Bill passes the Illinois House (80-26).

7/17/95 - Governor Jim Edgar places an amendatory veto on the Chief Illiniwek bill.

7/28/95 - Congressman Tom Ewing and six other Illinois congressmen meet with a representative from the Department of Education in Washington urging them to dismiss the Chief Illiniwek complaint.

11/1/95 - Representative Rick Winkel fails in his attempt to override Governor Edgar's veto of the Chief Illiniwek bill.

12/1/95 - The Department of Education rules that Chief Illiniwek does not create a campus climate that violates civil rights of Native Americans.

12/95 - GUP removes the issue of Chief from its agenda.

5/96 - EQ drops the issue of the Chief from its agenda.

4/2/97 - EQ is told about the forthcoming documentary "In Whose Honor?" and adds the Chief Illiniwek to its agenda as EQ.97.04.

5/97 - "Alumni Against Racist Mascots" formed at UIUC.

7/15/97 - "In Whose Honor?" is aired on national television.

7/16/97 - Morton Winston, Chair of the Board of directors of Amnesty International, writes to Honorable Susan Gravenhorst stating "Do the Right Thing--Get Rid of the Chief."

10/6/97 - The Equal Opportunity Committee of the UIUC Senate agrees to prepare a resolution to retire the Chief.

10/10/97 - Charlene Teters as Person of the Week is interviewed by Peter Jennings on ABC News.

11/6/97 - Professor Chester Fontenot sends open letter to the UIUC Faculty distributed through e-mail to Deans and Department Heads.

11/24/97 - During the meeting of UIUC Senate a request is made that the Athletic Association and Athletic Board consider as part of its Self- Study Plan (carried out as part of NCAA certification) "Whether the caricature and impersonation of a Native American Indian as the UIUC athletic mascot serves the integrity of the UIUC athletic program, the campus, and the principles of the NCAA."

12/31/97 - Chancellor Aiken is requested to include the issue of the 'Chief' as part of the upcoming comprehensive review of UIUC by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

1/26/98 - NCAA determines that UIUC can consider the issue of using a Native American Indian as the mascot of the UIUC athletics program as part of the Self-Study that accompanies NCAA certification.

1/28/98 - UIUC cancels the search for an Assistant Dean of Students for Native American Affairs.

2/10/98 - Jaak Vandemeulebroucke, a member of the European Parliament, sends a letter to UIUC President, Chancellor, Board of Trustees, and Governor Jim Edgar urging serious consideration of retiring the Chief.

2/17/98 - The Anthropology Department sends a letter to the Board of Trustees about the Chief. (see Appendix B)

3/9/98 - The Equal Opportunity Committee brings its resolution to the Senate.