Names have meaning. For some, the name “Audubon” means Christmas bird counts, sharing lifer pies, and fighting for habitat. For others, Audubon means they are not welcome. John James Audubon may be synonymous with bird paintings, and the society itself has built a name in birding and conservation. But there is no dismissing the fact that John James Audubon’s name also means selling Black people as slaves, promoting white supremacy, opposing abolition, and appropriating Black and Indigenous observations on birds. John James Audubon was not an ambivalent product of his time, but a champion of causes considered immoral to most even then. Whatever the name Audubon means to some cannot change what it means to others.
As Seattle, Chicago, New York, Portland, and other Audubon chapters have already declared, we want to ensure our door is open to all, and that goal is more important than preserving a name. This is an independent member organization, and, if we decide to, are empowered to change the Sacramento Audubon Society name without losing any network or benefits from the California and National societies. We want to hear your input on removing the name Audubon from our society. We believe in taking an incremental approach. At this time we are not considering any replacement names; only whether to remove the Audubon name from our society. Any decision on a replacement would be based on significant input from our community and the goals of inclusion and preserving the brand recognition that comes with our large network of birders.
We encourage you to research this issue. It has gained considerable traction in the national press. The Seattle chapter’s website includes a large body of work on this subject. If you feel inclined, please reach out to our Board of Directors to express how you feel about this issue. By any other name, a rose would still smell just as sweet. The same is true for us. We intend to preserve all the good this society represents no matter our name.
The Board of Directors
Sacramento Audubon Society
