Wisconsin High School Changes ‘Red Raiders’ Nickname With Racist History

La Crosse Central High School in Wisconsin has adopted a new nickname. No longer will the athletic teams be known as the “Red Raiders.” They will instead be known as the “RiverHawks” following a school board meeting on Monday night.

According to the La Crosse Tribune, officials approved the new mascot and nickname and then presented them to the school board. The school had previously retired the Red Raiders name due to its historical discrimination against Indigenous people. Other names considered include the Titans, Pride (referencing lions), Bandits, Chargers, Cardinals, Golden Bears, and Lumberjacks.

According to TMZ Sports, the high school used a Native American in its logo until 1994. The school kept the Red Raiders nickname but used a different mascot. La Crosse switched to a knight on horseback.

The Tribune also reports that the process was a collaborative effort that included the staff’s students and members. They helped create suggestions and then voted on the finalists. After the list went from eight finalists to the top choice, community groups weighed in and signed-off on the new nickname. The school will keep the red and black color scheme but will have to make other major changes.

“It will be a process to change over equipment, and uniforms, and logos and things,” Superintendent Aaron Engel said. He added that the process could take a considerable amount of time. “It is not a cheap process; it is a good one; it is one that we will invest in. But it’s usually not something that happens overnight. Often it involves sanding gym floors and taking out bricks here and there.”

In addition to making sweeping changes on-campus and in the school’s branding, La Crosse Central will also acknowledge “the harm” the old mascot may have done in the community and among its students. The school will likely hold a ceremony honoring Indigenous people, and it introduced a Ho-Chunk Nation flag in the main gym.

“As a former Central student, somebody who has coached at Central and now is a principal,” Troy McDonald said, “I certainly understand that pride, but this does not diminish the pride that people have had, and I think all the people who have pride in the previous logo is well-intentioned and it’s a very positive thing. But in order to make Central a safe place for everybody, I felt that we needed to move forward, and so I think this is the next step.”