Amid renewed scrutiny of late, Blackhawks are standing by their team name and logo, the organization said in a statement released to the Sun-Times on Tuesday evening.
The news came after the NFL's Washington Redskins and MLB's Cleveland Indians announced last week that they were taking steps toward changing their Native American team names.
"The Chicago Blackhawks name and logo symbolizes an important and historic person, Black Hawk of Illinois’ Sac & Fox Nation, whose leadership and life has inspired generations of Native Americans, veterans and the public," the Blackhawks said in a statement given to the Sun-Times.
"We celebrate Black Hawk’s legacy by offering ongoing reverent examples of Native American culture, traditions and contributions, providing a platform for genuine dialogue with local and national Native American groups. As the team’s popularity grew over the past decade, so did that platform and our work with these important organizations.
"We recognize there is a fine line between respect and disrespect, and we commend other teams for their willingness to engage in that conversation.
"Moving forward, we are committed to raising the bar even higher to expand awareness of Black Hawk and the important contributions of all Native American people.
"We will continue to serve as stewards of our name and identity and will do so with a commitment to evolve. Our endeavors in this area have been sincere and multifaceted, and the path forward will draw on that experience to grow as an organization and expand our efforts."