The "Crying Indian" Littering PSA from the '70s Is Officially Retired

February 27, 2023

The National Congress of American Indians took ownership of it, and they're retiring it

If you ever turned on a TV in the '70s . . . even once . . . chances are you saw the PSA where a Native American man sees someone throw trash out a car window and cries a SINGLE TEAR. Well, it's taken over 50 years, but that commercial, featuring Native American actor Iron Eyes Cody, has finally been CANCELED Many Native American activists have had a problem with the ad campaign over the years, because it reinforces negative stereotypes. So recently, Keep America Beautiful transferred ownership of it to the National Congress of American Indians . . . and they're RETIRING it. They say it'll never again be played without the proper historical context.

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