News

Iconic Sign or Insensitive Eyesore?

A Cincinnati neighborhood’s “Big Indian” sign faces evolving opinions after 70 years.

Published

3 months ago

February 8, 2024

In Carthage, a neighborhood of Cincinnati, stands the “Big Indian” — the local nickname of a sign originally marking a car dealership — that towers over and is causing increasing controversy for its neighborhood, according to a recent report in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The sign’s black, red and blue paint used to be vibrant, the outfit shining in neon lights. Its eyes used to blink, and its once-animated arm is now locked in place over its head. Over 70 years, the sign has sustained substantial damage, but not all of it is visible.

Whether one thinks of it as updating older, racially oriented stereotypes or political correctness, there is pressure to do something with the sign.

For more information on the possible plans for the sign, visit cincinnati.com.

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