The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Board on Geographic Names (BOGN) recently finalized the renaming of five sites across the nation, including one in Tennessee, to remove a “harmful slur” from its titles.
Squawberry, which is located in Carter County, Tennessee, was given a replacement name of ‘Partridgeberry,’ which is “another common name for the plant for which the community is currently named,” according to the department.
I'm grateful to the members of the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force and the Board on Geographic Names for their efforts to finalize the removal of this harmful word. https://t.co/zQzOTraF6i
— Secretary Deb Haaland (@SecDebHaaland) January 12, 2023
The word ‘squaw,’ according to DOI, is a “derogatory term” and has “historically been used as an offensive ethnic, racial and sexist slur, particularly for Indigenous women.”
As previously reported in March of 2022, DOI announced that it would be declaring the term “squaw” to be derogatory, and would rename 660 historical sites that feature the term.
In September, all but seven sites were officially renamed, pending further review at the time. One of the sites given a replacement name of ‘Natchez Branch’ at the time was Squaw Branch in Lewis County, Tennessee.
In addition to Tennessee’s Squawberry, the other four sites given replacement names following DOI’s review are located in California, North Dakota, and Texas. Two more sites in Alaska and Wyoming were also being considered in being given a replacement name by the department, however, were “removed from consideration” due to where the sites were located.
“Words matter, particularly in our work to ensure our nation’s public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds,” DOI Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. “I am grateful to the members of the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force and the Board on Geographic Names for their efforts to finalize the removal of this harmful word. Together, we are showing why representation matters and charting a path for an inclusive America.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Deb Haaland” by Secretary Deb Haaland. Background Photo “Carter County Courthouse” by Brian Stansberry. CC BY 3.0.
