Mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will now go by Cherokee name ‘Kuwohi’
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a decision to drop the name of a Confederate general for the highest mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in favor of the Cherokee name “Kuwohi.”
The U.S. Board of Geographic Names approved a request by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to change the name of the mountain.
“We welcome the dropping of a name that honored an individual who defended slavery and white supremacy in favor of one that honors our nation’s indigenous people,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “We urge all state and national agencies to similarly purge names associated with the racist Confederacy.”
Hooper said Washington, D.C., based CAIR has repeatedly called for the removal of Confederate names, holidays, flags, statues, and symbols nationwide.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com