Local American Indians Group Supports “Chiefs” Name

In light of the ruling by the U.S. Patent Office to revoke the name of “Redskins” there has been thought the name change debate may arrive in Kansas City. Nicholas Clayton talked about it in a column on Friday. Should the debate indeed come to Kansas City, it appears the Chiefs will have the support of a local American Indian group to keep the name.

Richard Lanoue, who is the president of Indian Council of Many Nations which happens to be headquartered in Kansas City, tells NPR he is in favor of keeping the name “Chiefs.”

"“The word chief is a word that means honor, respect, experience, knowledge.”"

Lanoue makes the same connection as many have about the origin of the Chiefs name and former mayor H. Roe Bartle. This connection seems to be a positive one for Lanoue and his organization who said that most referred to Bartle more as “Chief” than mayor.

It would seem that because of the meaning of the name and the connection with Kansas City’s former mayor, Lanoue and his group will not be in favor to change the Chiefs name.