Our campaign to end the use of Native American nicknames and mascots by Maine’s public schools has reached the last community, Skowhegan, still clinging to the tenets protected by acceptable institutional racism....

“What are you wearing?” I asked.

“What?” he responded. He surveyed his chest. “This?” He then gripped a thin gold chain on his neck.

“No. Your hat, man,” I said. “What does it mean?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Nothing,” he responded. “It just matched my shoes.”...