Jeep
It’s time for Jeep to reconsider its SUVs ‘Cherokee’ and ‘Grand Cherokee’, says Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. This is the first time the Cherokee Nation has asked Jeep directly to stop using its name for vehicles, something the brand has been doing for the past 45 years.
Although the Cherokee Nation has commented on the name in the past, Car and Driver has reconsidered the debate, which has reached out to Chief Hoskin for comment on the subject.
“I’m sure it comes from a place that is well-intentioned, but it does not honor us by having our name plastered on the side of a car. The best way to honor us is to learn about our sovereignty. government, our role in this country, our history, culture and language, and we have a meaningful dialogue with federally recognized tribes about cultural suitability.I think we are in a day and time in this country where it is time for both corporations and team sports around the use of Native American names, images and good luck charms from their products, jerseys and sports in general, ” he told the publication.
The first Jeep Cherokee arrived in the 1974 model year, and although the nameplate was deducted between 2002 and 2014 in favor of the Jeep Liberty, Jeep continued to sell a Grand Cherokee model during that time. In fact, the Grand Cherokee is the best-selling Jeep, with nearly 210,000 homes found in the U.S. by 2020.
As Ars discussed earlier, in 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that offensive trademarks are A-OK under U.S. law. But by 2020, a new awareness of racial justice has emerged in the US. The Washington, DC area NFL team finally stopped using its offensive name in July, and in December, Cleveland’s MLB team infiltrated its name as well as racist mascot.
In turn, Jeep – now part of Stellantis – told Car and Driver that ‘our vehicle names have been carefully selected and nurtured over the years to honor and celebrate Native American people for their nobility, ability and pride. We are more than ever committed to a reverent and open dialogue with Cherokee Nation’s Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. “