Governor Gavin Newsom signs a bill into law Friday that will remove the word squaw from California towns and places by the year 2025.
This includes Squaw Valley and 100 other places that contain the “S-word.”
Newsom says, this racist and sexist term will be removed from all geographic features and place names in the state. By signing assembly bill 2022 on Friday, he also declared September 23rd as Native American day in California.
If the city of Squaw Valley doesn’t come up with a new name, the California Advisory Committee on geographic names will need to choose a replacement. Last week, the city of Squaw Valley mailed 1400 questionnaires to give residents a chance to suggest a new name.
The name change will affect a school, ambulance and fire station, a cemetery and a post office in Squaw Valley.
