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Dartmouth celebrates diversity of high school mascot

DARTMOUTH, Mass. (WPRI) — Dartmouth High School unveiled a new plaque Friday honoring its mascot, which the town overwhelmingly agreed to keep earlier this year.

The Dartmouth Indian first came under scrutiny back in February, when the Selectman John Haran said he was approached by a member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah who was concerned about the logo.

Haran pushed for the town to hold a referendum regarding the logo, adding that the logo’s fate should be up to the people rather than the town’s elected officials.

The town overwhelmingly opted to keep the high school’s logo, and the school committee followed suit.

The logo was first created by Clyde Andrews of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah in 1973.

“This image of pride, honor, respect, and dignity has stuck with this school and its programs for many years and I’m glad it’s staying as it is,” Andrews said.

Discussions of abandoning the logo started around a time when potentially offensive team logos sparked a national conversation regarding what’s appropriate.

The town also established an Indigenous People History and Culture Committee, which will review the culture, history and diversity of indigenous peoples.