Chief Illiniwek: Understanding the Issues
|
|
|
To some, Chief Illiniwek is an honored symbol of the
University of Illinois which should be preserved. To
others, he is a race-based sports mascot that had to go.
For parts of three decades, opponents demanded that the
University of Illinois Board of Trustees retire the Chief.
The Board voted to affirm their support of the Chief in 1990,
and the Illinois General Assembly gave its backing several
years later. Amid continued protest, UI administrators launched a campus-wide dialogue
to better understand the conflicting perspectives.
Several more years passed until the NCAA ruled in 2006 that
certain Native American-based college mascots and symbols
were "hostile and abusive" to minorities. The next
winter, under the threat of losing the right to host
post-season athletic events, trustees voted to retire Chief
Illiniwek. WILL has covered the issues and perspectives
raised in the debate on Chief Illiniwek for many years. Listen
to the features and interviews below (RealPlayer
required) and explore links to other resources.
|
Amelia Moore, The Daily Illini |
Last Dance February 22, 2007 -- For the sellout crowd at the Assembly Hall
in Champaign February 21, the big highlight wasn’t Illinois’
victory over Michigan, but the last appearance of Chief
Illiniwek. The Chief has plenty of critics
-- but at the game, supporters showed how much they loved
him. AM 580's Jim Meadows reports.
 Listen
to story
|
 |
A Decision on Chief Illiniwek
February 16, 2007 -- The chair of the University of Illinois
Board of Trustees has retired the tradition of Chief
Illiniwek. The last halftime dance for the Chief will
be Wednesday, February 21st, during the final men's
basketball home game of the season. Larry Eppley says
he is a fan of the Chief, but his decision was in the
university's best interest. AM 580's Jim Meadows
talked to him, along with Ted Land from the student-run
television channel UI-7.
Listen
to interview
 UI's
Chief Illiniwek site, including Eppley's formal statement
and a comment section
Progressive
Resource Action Cooperative, a student group that opposes
the Chief
Honor
the Chief Society
|
 |
Could Former Chiefs Take Over Illiniwek's Mantle?
September 22, 2006 -- A
recent newspaper report said the University of Illinois had
made tentative plans to transfer ownership of the Chief
Illiniwek symbol to a group of alumni who had portrayed the
Chief. All sides deny that any agreement is in place but
confirm that "informal" talks have occurred. The
former student quoted in the report, Steve Raquel, remains
hopeful that Chief supporters and opponents alike can find a
way to see beyond their differences. AM 580's Jeff
Bossert spoke with him.
Listen
to interview
|
|
Chief Illiniwek: What is 'Consensus?'
June 16, 2004 -- The University of Illinois Board of Trustees votes on a resolution that neither retires nor specifically
preserves the controversial symbol, but calls for all sides to
come to a consensus. As AM 580's Jim Meadows reports, it
will be very difficult to find an outcome that would end such
a polarized debate.
 listen
to story
AM
580's Tom Rogers reports from Chicago on the Trustees' vote --
and the reaction
|
|
With No Decision, Campus Remains Divided
November 14, 2003 -- With the lack of a vote, many people are beginning to
wonder if the status of Chief Illiniwek will ever be
completely settled. And
now that the TV news crews from Chicago and St. Louis have
left the U of I campus in Urbana…students, faculty and staff
are now left to deal with an underlying rancor. AM 580’s Tom Rogers reports.
listen
to story
Chief
Illiniwek Educational Foundation
Progressive
Resource/Action Cooperative
|
|
No Vote on Chief Illiniwek, Again
November 13, 2003 -- UI trustees tabled a resolution to retire the controversial
symbol, which some consider a racist mascot. The
resolution's author decided to delay a vote until a meeting in
July. AM 580's Jim Meadows reports on the decision and
the contentious atmosphere at the meeting.
listen
to story
listen
to AM 580's broadcast of the Board of Trustees' November 13th
meeting
|
|
|
March
14, 2002 -- Focus
580 host David Inge interviewed Suzan Shown Harjo, founder and
president of the Morning Star Foundation, on Issues Facing Native
Peoples today
 listen
to the interview
|
|
March 13,
2002 --
The University of Illinois Board of Trustees met
to hear the report of Trustee Roger Plummer on the Chief Illiniwek
Dialogue. WILL-AM aired the meeting live from 11 am to noon.
listen to
the archive of WILL-AM's live broadcast of the meeting
 read
the report text on the Board
of Trustees web site
|
|
|
May
2, 2001 -- AM 580's Dave Dickey examines generational differences in the issue of support for Chief Illiniwek
listen
to the story
|
|
March 7, 2001 -- The University of Illinois Board of Trustees met in open session at Foellenger Auditorium to respond to the University's Dialogue on Chief
Illiniwek.
Listen
to the meeting
AM 580's Dave Dickey offers a retrospective of the Chief Illiniwek controversy through the AM 580 archives
(aired March 7th, 2001)
AM 580's Jim Meadows recaps Wednesday's conclusion to the UI's dialogue on Chief Illiniwek (aired
March 8, 2001)
|
|
February
22, 2001 --
WILL-TV's Talking Point host Amy Gadja moderated a panel of pro- and anti-Chief advocates following broadcast of the documentary The Chief
listen
to the broadcast archive
|
|
November 9, 2000 -- Judge Louis B. Garippo presents his report to the Board of Trustees on the Dialogue on Chief
Illiniwek.
Part
One
Part
Two
AM 580's Jim Meadows reports on Judge Garippo's report to the Board of Trustees on the Dialogue on Chief Illiniwek
(aired November 9, 2000)
|
|
September 21,
2000 -- Focus 580 producer Jack Brighton interviewed Chief Illiniwek supporters Roger Huddleston, Jean Edwards, and Julie Herman on the making of their documentary The Chief
listen
to the interview
|
|
April 14th, 2000 -- Judge Louis Garippo presided over a Public
Intake Session at Foellinger Auditorium.
Listen to the entire
Intake Session (in four parts) or
individual speakers by name
AM 580's Dave Dickey reports on the April 14th Intake Session on Chief
Illiniwek, held at Foellinger Audiorium (aired April 15, 2000)
|
|
April 22,
1999 --Focus 580 host David Inge interviewed Clyde Bellecourt, Founder and Director of the American Indian Movement, on the topic of Indian Mascots in Sports
listen
to the interview
March 18,
1998 -- Focus 580 producer Jack Brighton interviewed members of Students for Chief Illiniwek John
Mamminga, Ned Swanson, and Stephanie Tonnies
listen
to the interview
|
|
May 5,
1997 -- Focus 580 producer Jack Brighton interviewed Jay Rosenstein, producer of the documentary
In Whose Honor?
listen
to the interview
February 26,
1990 -- Focus 580 host David Inge interviewed Vernon
Bellecourt, leader of the American Indian Movement, about Native American Rights and Indian Images in Sports
listen
to the interview
|
