Redskins Owner Launches Foundation for Native Americans

Daniel Snyder, the Washington Redskins owner who has come under fire for refusing to change the football team’s name, announced Monday that he has formed a charity to benefit Native Americans, The Washington Post reports.

In a four-page letter posted on the franchise’s Web site, Mr. Snyder said the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation will work to “address the challenges that plague the Native American community” and has dozens of projects under way to improve conditions for a number of tribes.

Some tribes and politicians have called on Mr. Snyder to jettison a team name widely considered a racial slur. The Oneida Indian Nation, one of the most vocal opponents of the name, said it welcomed the charity initiative but reiterated its call for the team to be renamed.

Mr. Snyder said the foundation grew out of four months of research he and his stuff conducted into how Native Americans view the team name and logo, including visits to 26 reservations. “In speaking face-to-face with Native American leaders and community members, it’s plain to see they need action, not words,” he wrote.