A 'redskin' is the scalped head of a Native American, sold, like a pelt, for cash: 50 pounds for adult male scalps; 25 for adult female scalps; 20 for scalps of boys and girls under age 12. These bloody scalps were known as “redskins” — the most offensive name one could ever call a Native American

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[–]BravoVictor 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

While this claim is associated in the media with litigants in the Washington Redskins trademark dispute; Amanda Blackhorse[34] and Suzan Shown Harjo,[35] the NCAI's support indicates that the belief is widespread.

I'm just not buying that. I've never heard anyone even remotely ever refer to that etymology. I even remember the old Disney Peter Pan cartoon has a whole song about "What makes the red man red". Sure, offensive and stereotyped by modern standards, it implied their skin was red, not bloody. If "redskin" was a reference to literally torn off pieces of bloody flesh, that's an etymology that left the public consciousness a long time ago.