A year ago, we expunged the nickname of Washington’s NFL football franchise from our news stories and editorial columns.

At the time, Raymond H. Boone, our late editor/publisher, called the team’s name “insulting to Native Americans, racist and divisive.”

Many told him that he was on a fool’s errand. They pointedly noted that team owner Daniel Snyder was vowing never to change the name.

We are proud to say that our principled stance is bearing fruit.

Other newspapers, as well as broadcasters, have followed suit.

So has President Obama and half of the U.S. Senate.

And the pressure continues to build on the team.

In June, government agencies began getting involved. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office went first, canceling the team’s trademark registration after determining the team’s name and logo are disparaging, though that ruling is on appeal.

Now another independent federal agency with even more clout is getting involved.

That agency is the Federal Communications Commission, which sets policies for radio and TV broadcasters.

The FCC this week announced it is willing to consider whether to deem the team’s moniker as indecent. That essentially would ban broadcasts on regulated networks, such as NBC, CBS and Fox, from using the name. If they use it, the FCC could punish them.

We note that the issue is before the FCC because of a citizen-activist and law professor who understands that the people rule this country.

John Banzhaf III made it an FCC issue by presenting a petition urging the agency to pull the broadcast license of Virginia-based radio station WWXX-FM of Prince William County for using the name he calls “racist, derogatory, profane and hateful.”

The good news: Tom Wheeler, chairman of the regulatory agency and a supporter of a name change, is promising that Mr. Banzhaf’s petition would receive serious consideration.

This all brings back memories of a previous owner of the Washington team, segregationist George Preston Marshall, who 53 years ago vowed never to allow black players on his team.

He quickly changed that policy after President John F. Kennedy’s administration threatened to ban the team from playing in its new D.C. stadium that had been built on government land.

Let’s see how long Mr. Snyder clings to his “never” if the FCC does the right thing and sides with Mr. Banzhaf.

We’ll keep our fingers crossed.