For years, the debate surrounding Washington’s former Redskins name has largely focused on the franchise, the logo, and the eventual rebrand. But the family connected to one of the most recognizable symbols in that history believes its voice has been missing from the conversation.

“We’re being erased, and we want to be seen,” Nicole Carson (Conway), daughter of estate lead Kenneth Conway told the Daily Mail.

“We want to be heard, and we deserve to be heard. We are beautiful people. We come from proud people. We come from proud families. We have great teachings, and we want to see it continue.”

Now, the descendants of Chief John Two Guns White Calf are taking that message to Washington. For that, the family will move to Washington, D.C., from their hometown of Montana for a Redskins summit in November.

The family also hopes to meet President Donald Trump in the White House to have a dialogue with him as well. As part of that trip, the family plans to discuss the legacy of the former Redskins name and logo while presenting several proposals connected to their ancestor’s place in franchise history.

President Trump has been an avid supporter of the Redskins name and still refers to the team by its old name. This could play a crucial role for the family, who are also considering proposing a name for RFK Stadium: the “John Two Guns White Calf Memorial Stadium.”

This would be the first stadium to be named after a Native American.

The proposal comes at a time when the Commanders are preparing for a return to the RFK Stadium site, creating what the family views as an opportunity to reconnect their ancestor’s legacy with the franchise’s future. The Commanders played at RFK Stadium from 1961 to 1996, before moving to Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.

But the team now plans to move back to its old stadium, recently unveiling renderings of how the stadium will be redeveloped for the team.

Why the Family Believes Its Legacy Is Being Forgotten

After Chief White Calf passed away in 1903, his adopted son, Chief John Two Guns White Calf, who was reportedly the last chief of the Blackfeet tribe, became a prominent Native American figure.

The family’s connection to the debate stems from the fact that John Two Guns White Calf’s face was used as the logo of the Washington franchise for nearly 50 years.

Years after his demise, the Washington team kept the name Redskins in 1971 to honor John Two Guns White Calf. For descendants, that decades-long connection is a major reason they feel they should have been part of discussions surrounding the logo and branding.

For nearly 50 years, John Two Guns White Calf’s face was used as the logo of the team. But that changed in 2020, when the team decided to move away from the name, as it was criticized for being a racial slur.

“The family was never consulted,” press and media relations lead for the family estate, Morningstar Gopher, said.

“Not once, on what our thoughts are, how we felt about our grandfather’s image being out there. Our grandfather has contributed to their brand, to the Redskins brand, for almost 50 years. Not one phone call, not one meeting, not one email sent on their part to our family.”

Family representatives say that lack of consultation is at the heart of why they feel “erased” from a conversation involving their own ancestor’s image.

The name made headlines even more when the George Floyd incident happened, prompting renewed calls for social justice and increased scrutiny of Native American imagery in sports. Hence, the name Redskins was erased, with the franchise replacing it with Commanders, which was kept to honor the military.

The family now has goals and proposals that they will keep in front of the President, and the Commanders may have their hands tied to some extent.

Blackfeet Family Has an Array of Demands That the Commanders Might Be Entitled to Act Upon

The family isn’t going to go to the summit ill-prepared.

In fact, it is just the opposite, as they have invited the franchise’s leadership, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and sponsors who threatened to pull funding from the team back in 2020 when the team urged them not to drop the Redskins name, to a cultural showcase on November 20.

“Our vision for the redeveloped stadium is a gathering place for tribal nations – a yearly powwow, tribal showcases, and cultural events – celebrating who we are and where we come from,” a cultural lead and powwow dancer in the family, Loud Thunder Conway, said.

The family hopes the event can expand the conversation beyond football and create a permanent cultural connection between Native American communities and the redeveloped RFK site.

Trademark Issue Still Looms

Amid the ongoing rift, the team may be in a difficult position, as they still own the trademark for the name and the logo. What this means is that they can and have been using the tribal name and the John Two Guns White Calf face.

Recently, investigative reporter Eric Flack revealed that the team has still been selling merchandise with the old logo and name. The team actually does this in order to keep hold of the trademark of the name.

The Commanders also recently clarified that they didn’t plan to bring back the name. Attorney Denise Rosado spoke on the same issue the team faces.

“The trademark issue is a really big thing, and that’s why I think it’s a win-win situation for the Commanders because they do still have a Redskins trademark, and they have to protect that trademark. If they stop using it altogether, they can lose it, and someone else can file a trademark and use it.

And so that’s why I think it’s really imperative, and I think that they’re going to start listening to the family, because they have no choice if they want to protect the trademark.”

For now, the family’s goal is not simply to revisit the old name. Instead, it wants recognition for John Two Guns White Calf’s contribution to the franchise and a chance to ensure that legacy remains part of the discussion as Washington enters a new era at RFK Stadium.