Florida State University & Our Relationship with the Seminole Tribe of Florida

As with any information source, readers should approach articles written about the FSU-Seminole relationship with a critical eye. Consider who is the author and what are their motivations and investments in the topic? Who is the intended audience and how does that shape the tone and content of the work? Which voices are included in the piece, and which may be left out of the conversation? Whose opinion matters most?

FSU Libraries does not share the following citations as either endorsement or rejection of the scholarly findings, news reporting, or opinions expressed in them. We do, however, invite you to use your knowledge and critical reading skills to evaluate these and other information sources. We hope that reading widely and critically inspires you to ask new questions as you learn more about the continually evolving relationship between FSU and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Scholarly Sources

Newspaper articles

The FSU-Seminole relationship received increased attention in the mid-2000s during a national conversation about Native American imagery in sports. Journalists often to refer back to the FSU and Seminoles when a controversial use of Native American imagery garners national attention, as when the professional football team in Washington D.C. stopped using a pejorative term in 2020 and were renamed the Commanders in 2022.

• Bousquet, Steve. (2005).  FSU trustee apologizes to tribe. St. Petersburg Times.
• Culpepper, Chuck. (2014). Florida State's unusual bond with Seminole Tribe puts mascot debate in a different light. Washington Post.
• D'Angelo, Tom. (2005) Seminole Tribe: NCAA Mistaken. Palm Beach Post.
• Haber, Greg, and Doug Carlson. (2005). Oklahoma Tribe OK With FSU Seminoles' Name, Logo. Tampa Tribune.
• Pellis, Eddie. (2014). Supported by tribe, Florida State has no issues with using ‘Seminoles’ as nickname. The St. Augustine Record. 
• Powell, Robert Andrew. (2005). Florida State wins its battle to remain the Seminoles; COLLEGE SPORTS." International Herald Tribune.
• Lapointe, J. (2007). What’s in s Mascot? When the N.C.A.A. cracked down on Indian mascots last year, not every tribe applauded. A look at the relationship between the Seminoles and Florida State University. New York Times Upfront, 10, 14.
• Shore, Jim. (2005). Play With Our Name. New York Times.
• Shore, Jim. (2005). University Ties Grow Ever Stronger. Tampa Tribune.
• Thomas, Bob. (2005). FSU begins fight to keep name; NCAA ruling against Seminole nickname 'insults' tribe, says Bush. Florida Times Union.
• Thrash, Rodney. (2005). FSU's Seminole symbols: heritage or heresy? St. Petersburg Times.
• Tierney, M. (2013, October 24). Amid Rising Discord Over Indian Images, F. S. U. Has Harmony. New York Times, 163(56299), B12–B14.

• Weiberg, S. (2005, June 23). Indian nicknames face NCAA scrutiny. USA Today. 

Online Opinion Pieces

• Perano, Ursula. (2017). Let’s Talk About the Seminoles. SPIRE MAGAZINE.
• Menendez, Matty. (2020). My Complicated Relationship with My School's Mascot. FSU News.
• Zirin, Dave. (2014). The Florida State Seminoles: The Champions of Racist Mascots. The Nation.

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