Agawam High School, of Agawam, MA has been using a racially derogatory name and symbol to represent its students and football team for generations. The team name is the Brownies and is accompanied by a mascot of a Native American mans head in full headdress that reads “Agawam”. The students are prompted to wear headdresses at students games and use “warrior tomahawk” gestures during games and rally’s.

This is a misrepresentation of the indigenous people that were tricked and pushed from this land. “Brownie” has always been considered a racial slur towards native Americans and yet we encourage a group of largely Caucasian kids to support this? People have argued that it is in relation to a coach named Brown. Agawam Yearbooks are public record and there is no such coach. It is far past the time to hide behind thinly veiled excuses and accept our responsibility to be better. 

This name and mascot promote racism, racist jokes, and elitism among its student body. We demand  that the town and school take responsibility for this and make an effort to immediately change the name and symbol. The student body, faculty, Parents and town members who support the education and sports of Agawam High School deserve to rally around a team that respectfully represents themselves, rather than a racist symbol.