The Prince George’s County Council joins with County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks and countless others, who are pleased and encouraged by today’s announcement that Washington’s professional football team will conduct a formal and thorough review of the team name.
Amid our historic national and regional reckoning over racism, inequality and social injustice, addressing longstanding concerns over the team name, considered offensive by many, is the right thing to do. The team’s recent decision to retire the jersey of one of its outstanding African-American players, Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell, only the second jersey to be retired in the franchise’s 88-year history, and renaming a level of FedEx Field for him, expresses an important willingness by the organization to honor unity, rather than division.
Prince George’s County is not only home of this NFL team, but also boasts of a diverse population that represents our human spectrum, encourages inclusion and respects our shared history. With today’s action, the team gives hope to a new chapter that when it becomes reality, we can all take pride in.
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