U.S. Department of Interior Taking Public Comment on Removing Derogatory Words from Natural Features

Wednesday, April 6th, 2022 -- 10:00 AM

(Raymond Neupert, WRN) The U-S Department of the Interior is taking public comments on removing the derogatory word 'squaw' from natural features across the country.

Wisconsin D N R tribal liaison Kris Goodwill says it's a welcome change. "I think that this is overdue. Historically, there's been other derogatory words like the N word, removed from geographic features, there's also been the pejorative of Japanese that's been removed."

Goodwill says it's been an ongoing process between state, federal and local authorities. "If later on, we were going to propose a change in a geographic name, certainly the county would have input."

The US Department of the Interior is going through the formal process. Goodwill stated, "As a tribal member myself, I certainly care about it. It is a derogatory term."

The D N R and federal agencies, alongside county governments, will be picking new names for those lakes, rivers, and places over the next year or so. Public comment on the process is being taken until April 25th.

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