email received from Seattle Audubon society:
Dear XXXX,
Removing "Audubon" | Reflecting Our Values
The Board of Directors has unanimously passed a resolution to begin the process of removing the reference to John James Audubon from our organization's name. As you may know, Audubon provided an authoritative record and renderings of bird species in this country. However, his other viewpoints and activities taint his legacy in a way that we believe interferes with our mission to advocate and organize for cities where people and birds thrive – with a focus on being equitable, inclusive, just, and antiracist.
The following are not in dispute: John James Audubon held and sold slaves. He wrote against emancipation. He desecrated Native American gravesites to fetch and send skulls to a colleague who used them to “prove” white supremacy. Further, he killed many of the birds he painted, fabricated species, and appropriated Black and Indigenous bird knowledge.
This shameful legacy does not fit a future, as our Executive Director, Claire Catania, put it, “where the perspectives and contributions of all people are valued—especially those who have been systemically excluded. The challenges facing humans and birds alike demand that we build a radically inclusive coalition to address them.”
To that end, we soon will launch the “thoughtful and inclusive process” that our board mandated, to discuss with our community, present and future, the values that should be reflected in a new name and the mission for which it stands. Most immediately, we will conduct a feedback-and-questions session over Zoom next week.
Join the conversation Tuesday, July 26 at 6:30 p.m.
https://seattleaudubon.org/2022/07/21/moving-from-shameful-legacy-seattle-chapter-to-drop-audubon/