Death of Washington’s Chief Zee Offers Chance for NFL to Correct Long-Held Wrong

July 22, 2016   ·   Mike Freeman   ·   Jump to comments

The first time I met the African-American man who played the part of a racist Native American character, he called me a fool. I called him an embarrassment. It went downhill from there. 
The encounter between myself and a man named Zema Williams was brief, lasting literally seconds. He was known as Chief Zee, the man who proudly sported one of the most disgraceful mascot uniforms ever. After a game in Washington, if I remember correctly, he quietly approached me.
"You the guy always criticizing the Redskins name?" he asked.
"I am," came the response.
"You're a fool; it's meant to honor Indians," he said.
"You're an embarrassment," I said. It was the best comeback I could do on short notice.
He walked away, calling me a fool again.
OK then. Good talk.
I thought about that scene after reading the news that Williams died this week. To many, the man Washington fans knew as Chief Zee was a glorious symbol. He represented generations of ...

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