The Cleveland Indians are changing their name next season to the Cleveland Guardians, the Major League Baseball club announced Friday morning.
The move comes after the old moniker drew criticism for decades from Native Americans.
“You see, there’s always been a Cleveland — that’s the best part of our name,” actor Tom Hanks says in a video announcement he narrated for the team, which posted it on Twitter. “And now it’s time to unite as one family, one community, to build the next era for this team and this city.”
The decision is part of a larger cultural shift across the US as corporate brands reexamine their use of racist caricatures and stereotypical names.
Don't Miss
Watch the announcement below.
Together, we are all… pic.twitter.com/R5FnT4kv1I
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) July 23, 2021
