Supervisor candidate wants ‘racist’ county logo changed

MONTEZUMA — A candidate for the Poweshiek County Board of Supervisors is asking officials to replace the current Native American logo with one that isn’t racist.

“Icon images matter, particularly in our county government’s work to make our services and public image accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds,” wrote John Clayton, of Brooklyn, in a news release last month.

The issue of iconography extends beyond the county’s icon and has been a contentious topic nationally, with sports teams being pressured to abandon Native Americans as trademark brands, wrote Clayton.

Poweshiek County’s current logo shows the head of a Native American wearing a full headdress. The icon isn’t Poweshiek’s face, and the headdress is not accurate for the woodland native culture, Clayton said.

Clayton is not suggesting the name of the county be changed, he said, but that use of the icon be discontinued.

Removing the inaccurate portrayal delivers honor to Poweshiek so he will not be some “Hollywood Buffalo Bill caricature,” Clayton said.

Chief Powshiek

According to Our Iowa Heritage, the Meskwaki people, called Fox by the French, originally lived along the Saint Lawrence River in Canada. By the 1600s, the tribe had migrated to what is now Michigan and later relocated to Wisconsin where they fought with the French during the Fox Wars in the early 1700s.

In the 1730s, to escape French oppression, they moved south into the Mississippi River Valley — Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. The Meskwaki and the Sauk tribes on both sides of the Mississippi River traded freely with each other and with the French and fought alongside the British.

Many of the Sauk and Meskwaki settled in the Rock River Valley in what is now Rock Island, Illinois. That’s where Poweshiek was born.

After the Sauk and Meskwaki signed away their lands in Illinois in 1804, Poweshiek’s group joined the Meskwakis on the Iowa side of the Mississippi River.

Poweshiek rose to power after Meskwaki Chief Peamuska was killed by Sioux and Menominee while traveling to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin for a peace conference.

In 1832, the Sauk and Meskwaki were forced farther east along the Des Moines, Skunk, English, Iowa and Cedar Rivers. Poweshiek led his people to their summer hunting grounds along the Iowa River in what is now Johnson County.

Historians estimate that about 2,000 Meskwaki people lived in Johnson County when European fur traders arrived in 1832.

Poweshiek was spokesman for the Meskwaki tribes across Iowa as white settlers continued to arrive, taking more and more land.

In 1842, Poweshiek reluctantly signed one final treaty in which Sauk Chief Keokuk agreed to sell both tribes’ remaining Iowa land. The Sauk and Meskwaki left Iowa for Kansas.

The territorial county south of Tama County was formed and named after Chief Poweshiek in 1843.

Poweshiek sought to have his tribe separated from the Sauk in agreements with the government. He sought permission for the return of the Meskwaki to Iowa and for payment of their share of tribal annuities.

Poweshiek died in 1854 before that happened.

Negative impact

At issue in Poweshiek County is not simply the inaccuracy of the headdress on the county logo, but the fact that Indian icons have a negative impact on Native Americans, said Clayton.

Research as shown that the use of racist and derogatory “Indian” sports mascots, logos or symbols is harmful and perpetuates negative stereotypes, said Clayton citing the Feb. 6, 2024 issue of The Guardian and the October 2013 issue of the National Congress of American Indians’ report.

In 2005, the American Psychological Association called for the retirement of all Native American mascots, symbols, images and personalities by schools, colleges, athletic teams and organizations due to the harmful effects of racial stereotyping and inaccurate racial portrayals, said Clayton.

Native American Nations have predominantly advocated that non-native organizations not use Native American icons. The National Congress of American Indians passed several resolutions calling for the elimination of Native American mascots, icons and logos, said Clayton.

“It’s a nationwide ongoing situation,” said Clayton. “It’s an ongoing thing to try to be more sensitive to racial equality.”

Clayton said he recognizes racism in Poweshiek County and believes people must learn from their past mistakes to create a more compassionate community. He’s asking the county to appoint a committee to research replacement icons, hold public hearings and choose a new image.

“It was apparent to me that it was inappropriate ever since I’ve seen it,” said Clayton, “But I looked into it more, running for office, thinking we should try and change that.”

Clayton said the county hasn’t had a history of opposition to the logo. “I’m the only one that I know of that has ever brought this forward,” he said.

Some people were concerned about the imagery when the Grinnell Police Department wore the logo on its uniform, Clayton said. That ended 2023 due to requests from concerned citizens, said Clayton.

Clayton said the issue is on the agenda for The Poweshiek County Board of Supervisors meeting Monday, May 6 at 9 a.m. Supervisors meet in the boardroom on the main floor of the courthouse south annex, 302 E. Main in Montezuma. Meetings are open to the public.