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Protest Scheduled for Giant "Big Indian" Sign at Carthage Auto Dealer

"It remains as an insult to human dignity in front of MotorTime Auto Sales, whose owners have adamantly refused to remove it."

Jan 12, 2024 at 6:38 pm

"Big Indian" sign at MotorTime Auto Sales in Carthage Photo: Aidan Mahoney

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A group of Cincinnati locals are calling on MotorTime Auto Sales in Carthage to take down a racist sign they say the dealership has displayed for decades.

Werner Lange created a Change.org petition calling on MotorTime Auto Sales to take down the "utterly racist" 42-foot tall metal structure.

"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,'" the petition reads.

While Lange said the offensive ads have disappeared, he said that MotorTime Auto Sales has no interest in taking down "Big Indian."

"It remains as an insult to human dignity in front of MotorTime Auto Sales, whose owners have adamantly refused to remove it."

CityBeat reached out to the owner of MotorTime Auto Sales, who was not available to comment for this story by press time.

Lange has organized a protest on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 15, calling on the owners to "rid our community of this degradation of Native Americans and have it join racist mascots like 'Chief Wahoo' in the trash heap of history."

"This anti-racist protest appropriately takes place on MLK Day and all who honor peace and justice are invited to participate," the event description reads.

The protest is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Jan. 15 outside the dealership at 7505 Vine St.

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About The Author

Madeline Fening

Madeline Fening is CityBeat’s investigative news reporter. Proudly born and raised in Middletown, she attended Bowling Green State University before moving to Austin, Texas where she dabbled in documentary filmmaking, digital news and bartending. Madeline then moved to Cincinnati to work for WCPO 9 News as an...