BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (AP) — A fund is helping remove offensive depictions of Native Americans in city buildings, schools and monuments across Michigan.
The Native American Heritage Fund awarded a nearly $335,000 grant Friday to the Belding school district to remove Redskin imagery formerly used as a mascot. The district switched to the Belding Black Knights mascot in March.
The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi says the fund is intended to “replace or revise mascots and imagery” deemed offensive or conveying inaccurate representations of Native Americans. The fund’s board approved grants for the first time this year.
Battle Creek was awarded about $3,400 to replace a stained-glass window in city hall that depicts what’s believed to be a white settler clubbing a Native American.
The grants will be approved for disbursement next month.
