The 42-foot tall metal sign has stood outside a car dealership located at the high-traffic intersection of Vine Street and Paddock Road since 1957.
Werner Lange created a Change.org petition in December that calls on MotorTime Auto Sales to take down the "utterly racist" depiction of a Native American caricature. While the name of the car dealership has changed over the years, Lange said "Big Indian" still stands.
"Erected by a wealthy racist car dealer at a time when The Lone Ranger, Hollywood's disgraceful depiction of Native American culture, was America's most popular TV show, this gut-wrenching 'Big Indian' sign stood for years at the entrance of Cherokee Motors, which sought to attract customers with such blatantly racist ads as 'We're on a war path against high prices'; 'Come in and smoke peace pipe'; 'We no scalp-um'; and 'no Indian giving,'" Lange's petition reads.
The petition, which Lange said has been sponsored by the Ohio Peace Council, has nearly 1,000 signatures.
Lange said one of the signatures is from Dr. Kenneth Barnett Tankersley, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Cincinnati and member of the Piqua Tribe of Alabama. Lange shared Tankersley's reason for signing on to the campaign:
"As a Native American, I cannot believe that racism of this magnitude continues to exist in our country. Apparently, Cincinnati does not recognize us as persons," Tankersley said.
Lange also plans to highlight to council the sign's possible code violation. He said section 895-5 of the city code prohibits signs over 40-feet tall, but he hopes the racist nature of the sign will be enough to spur action from council.
"It certainly violates the Vision of the City Planning and Engagement office 'to create an aesthetically, vibrant urban center that is a model for cities nationwide,'" Lange said.
Protestors gathered outside MotorTime Auto Sales on Jan. 15 to call on the owner to take down "Big Indian," but were met with counter-protestors who view the sign as an iconic piece of Cincinnati history.
“Our family has been here for over 100 years. My grandpa taught me history off this [sign],” John Russell, a Carthage resident, told CityBeat during the protest. “Our little area right here is full of Native Americans, and they love it, so for people to come down from the north — that think this is being racist — all they have to do is turn their head and go the other way if they feel offended.”
Lange will present the petition to council on Feb. 28.
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