Last Thursday, popular country band known as “The Dixie Chicks” announced that they were dropping the “Dixie” from their name and would go by just “The Chicks”. The band offered a brief statement on their website that said they wanted to “meet this moment.” Weeks earlier, another popular country trio known as “Lady Antebellum” released a letter to fans announcing they had changed their name to Lady A. Both changes were made in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests and drew light on systemic racism within the entertainment industry. But what exactly made these original band names problematic?
“The Dixie Chicks” was inspired by a 1973 album called “Dixie Chicken” by the country-rock group Little Feat. However, “Dixie” is a reference to the confederate-era South and the word is often used to describe states south of the Mason-Dixon line, whose white citizens were allowed to own slaves. The song “Dixie”, also known as “I Wish I Was in Dixie” is the name of a popular minstrel song in the Confederacy that glorified slavery during the Civil War.
The Chicks’ name change didn’t come as a surprise to most, as the band has never been shy about sharing their opinions on social and political issues. In 2003, they infamously criticized then-president George W. Bush for invading Iraq and said they were “ashamed” that he was from Texas, which lost them a large portion of their conservative fanbase. Along with their name change, The Chicks released a video for their new song “March March” that featured images from protests for women’s rights, gay rights, and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Meanwhile, in the letter they released to fans, Lady A explained that their original name was a reference to the “antebellum” style home they took their first photos in as well as the music that inspired them.
“As musicians, it reminded us of all the music born in the south that inspired us…Southern Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel and of course Country,” they wrote.
However, the term “antebellum” is often used to refer to the pre-Civil War south and romanticizes slavery and plantation life. Lady A apologized for their past ignorance about the term’s connotation and said that the name change was just the first step the band was taking to promote social change.
“We are committed to examining our individual and collective impact and making the necessary changes to practice antiracism. We will continue to educate ourselves, have hard conversations and search the parts of our hearts that need pruning- to grow into better human, better neighbors.”
Dear fans… pic.twitter.com/7JlcH2NMl6
— Lady A (@ladya) June 11, 2020
The name changes came at a time where figures and organizations are recognizing the systemic racism within our culture. NASCAR, an organization known for their majority white and conservative audience., recently banned the confederate flag from its races, Aunt Jemima also plans to retire its name and original imagery, as its origins are based in racial stereotypes.