- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
As attention is drawn to Sunday night's Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bright Paths Strong says this American ritual we know as the #SuperBowl enters its 55th year this Sunday, but its origins trace back 100 years ago -- to an Olympian, a pioneer of professional football and the country’s first celebrity sports hero, the iconic Native American athlete Jim Thorpe.
Bright Path Strong was created to share and amplify authentic Native American voices and stories, past and present.
So, this Super Bowl weekend, Bright Path Strong is reminding football fans that the legendary Thorpe (Sac and Fox, Potawatomi) was unanimously elected president in 1920 of the American Professional Football Association (APFA), which was the forerunner of the National Football League. Thorpe served as president of the APFA from 1920 to 1921. Incredibly, Thorpe served as president while still an active player for the Canton Bulldogs.Dues back then were only $100 per team. The APFA became the Natonal Football League in 1922.
Before there was the Lombardi Trophy there was the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup, which mysteriously vanished after the first season.
More Stories Like This
Native Bidaské with Commissioner Kunesh on the Administration for Native Americans 50th AnniversarySouth Dakota Governor’s Banishment of Nearly 20% of State Faces Fallout from Funding
Native News Weekly (May 12, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby leads Ribbon Cutting for Lakecrest Casino and Hotel in Carter County
North Dakota's 180-Degree Turn in Redistricting Case Sparks Outcry from MHA Nation
These stories must be heard.
This May, we are highlighting our coverage of Indian boarding schools and their generational impact on Native families and Native communities. Giving survivors of boarding schools and their descendants the opportunity to share their stories is an important step toward healing — not just because they are speaking, but because they are being heard. Their stories must be heard. Help our efforts to make sure Native stories and Native voices are heard in 2024. Please consider a recurring donation to help fund our ongoing coverage of Indian boarding schools. Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous-centered journalism. Thank you.
