Cherokee Nation Chief Wants Jeep to Stop Using Tribe’s Name

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. demands Jeep stop using the Cherokee tribe’s name on their vehicles.

What We Know:

• Over 45 years ago, Jeep began to start using the ‘Cherokee’ name on vehicles. Jeep’s Grand Cherokee’ has been a top-seller ever since its release in 1992. The smaller SUV is known as ‘Cherokee,’ was the third best-selling vehicle last year, and the other model remains to be Jeep’s top-seller. Chief Hoskins doesn’t believe the name honors his people solely because it is labeled on their successful car models.
• It appears that this year more companies and sports teams are being more attentive when it comes to handling their brand’s image. The changes come in the light of nationwide protests last year in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. The Cleveland Indians baseball team and former Washington Redskins, are dropping Native American imagery from their imagery.
• The Cleveland Indians removed their logo while the Washington Football team had their logo and ‘Redskins’ permanently changed. Other companies involved in a rebrand this year were Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and Land O’Lakes. In a report by Car & Driver, Hoskins believes it’s the proper time for companies to change.

“We’re in a day and age in this country where it’s time for both corporations and team sports to retire the use of Native American names, images and mascots from their products, team jerseys and sports in general” Hoskin states.

• The Cherokee Chief admits that Jeep representatives have approached him to reach a compromise on the issue. When the idea of being paid royalties for the name was mentioned, Hoskin dismissed the offer. He claims that deals concerning royalties over the name would be “problematic” and that money had nothing to do with the underlying problem.
• Jeep had discontinued the Cherokee name before in 2002, replacing it with Liberty. They reintroduced the name Cherokee vehicles back in 2013. A spokeswoman for Jeep, Kristin Starnes, asserts that the brand was handled with care and nurtured in a way that would uplift Native Americans. Hoskin’s responded in kind, saying, “the best way to honor the Tahlequah, Oklahoma-based tribe, is to learn more about its history.”