Where Did The Term ‘Redskins’ Come From?

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The National Congress of American Indians said it first appeared as a derogatory term in the 1880s when the federal government began advertising bounties for the scalps of Native Americans.

The team is among the oldest franchises in the National Football League. It has used the “Redskins” moniker since 1933, when it was based in Boston.

Earlier, when the team started in 1932, it was called the “Braves.”

Founding owner George Preston Marshall moved the Redskins to D.C. for the 1937 season.

It was claimed the name honored coach William “Lone Star” Dietz’s dubious Indian heritage, although Marshall later told The Associated Press he opted for a new nickname simply to avoid confusion with Boston’s then-National League baseball team, which also went by the “Braves.”

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