NCAI Acquires "Crying Indian" and Quickly Retires Him

The National Congress of American Indians announced Thursday that it had acquired ownership of the well-known "Crying Indian" anti-pollution public service announcement (PSA) advertisement that first aired on Earth Day in 1971.

The advertisement, which raised awareness of environmental protection and became a part of popular culture at the time of its creation, was later known for featuring imagery that stereotyped American Indian and Alaska Native people and misappropriated Native culture.

Keep American Beautiful Inc., a non-profit organization that created the ad, decided it was time to officially retire the advertisement. The organization transfered it to the NCAI Fund, a 501(c)(3) public education nonprofit organization, that plans to retire the ad permanently.

https://nativenewsonline.net/environment/ncai-gains-ownership-of-the-crying-indian-and-quickly-retires-him