Everyone knows about the racist word the blacks hate so much -- now we find that the word SQUAW is now also on the racist, "foul" list -- so much so that they are even changing all names of towns and areas of the USA which has this in it -- wonder what Squaw valley will become......... In our genealogy research we oftentimes have to find old towns where names have been changed -- so thought this would be of interest to ya'll (especially if you live in areas where these names will be changed on ALL maps, etc. Same with all the Native American descendants -- figured they might want to know what is going on in this area. Judy M. > >>From the Friday Aug. 27, 1999 Billings Gazette comes this article about >changes being made to geographical sites in Montana that bear the >"sq**w" name. > >http://www.billingsgazette.com/region/990827_reg05.html > ><clipped excerpt> >Committee starts work to remove racist word > HELENA (AP) - It's branded on streams and meadows, hills and valleys, >pillars and mountain passes scattered across Montana. But it's laced >with racism and insult for the American Indian woman. > The word "squaw" is considered foul by Native Americans, and a special >committee Thursday began the work of erasing the disparaging word from >maps once and for all. > The 1999 Legislature directed the advisory committee to recommend new >names for all geographic sites that include the word. The proposed >changes will be forwarded to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, an arm >of the U.S. Geological Survey, for approval. > The final decisions rest with Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt. > The state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation lists 74 >Montana sites that use the word "squaw." However, one of those in >Glacier County already has been renamed by the federal board, from >Squaw Mountain to Dancing Lady Mountain. > ><end excerpt> > > >