Failure to rename street for MLK called a sad sign

The Grand Rapids Press ^ | Wednesday, March 31, 2004 | Ed White and Jim Harger

[FourPeas]

A Grand Rapids commissioner who led the unsuccessful drive to rename Franklin Street for Martin Luther King Jr. said he has no immediate plan to return with a request for a commemorative designation and those who support changing the name say they have not given up.

Third Ward Commissioner Robert Dean said the 4-3 vote against changing the name of Franklin was a "sad commentary" when "you still have a majority of residents and businesses on that street saying this is what they want."

"I think it really changed the process" of renaming streets, Dean said.

Four commissioners -- Lynn Rabaut and Rick Tormala of the 2nd Ward, and James Jendrasiak and Roy Schmidt of the 1st Ward -- never wavered in their opposition Tuesday, a week after emotional appeals from residents and community leaders who said the slain civil rights leader deserved more than just a city park with his name.

Mayor George Heartwell joined Dean and 3rd Ward Commissioner James White in supporting the name change.

Heartwell even apologized to Dean, saying he didn't think the change was "such a big deal" until he heard passionate voices at a hearing March 23.

Commissioners who voted down the change said they would endorse King commemorative markers on Franklin, much like Cesar Chavez Way on Grandville Avenue SW.

Dean said he has no plan to pursue it. Instead, he will wait to hear from the Racial Justice Institute, which started the campaign to change Franklin's name two years ago.

However, the institute's director, the Rev. David May, said the effort to officially change the name likely will continue.

May said naming Martin Luther King Park and Rosa Parks Circle did not come easily, and neither will changing the name of Franklin Street.

"Seemingly, in Grand Rapids at least, there is a persistent resistance to name changes that involve people of color," May said. "We find that disturbing."

May was among more than a dozen people, mostly blacks, who sang "We Shall Overcome" as they left the meeting on the sixth floor of City Hall. There were tears and pledges of political retribution against the commissioners who voted no.

The four commissioners gave several reasons. Rabaut noted that a park is named for King, and Tormala said a commemorative designation with creative signs actually "would be better."

Franklin Street is a mix of low-income housing and distinguished brick residences worth $200,000 or more.

It has pockets of businesses, several churches, Martin Luther King Park and the headquarters of Grand Rapids Public Schools. The Clark Retirement Community is near the eastern border with East Grand Rapids.

In other cities, streets named for King are "usually associated with depressed areas," said Roxanne Wilda, 53, who has lived on Franklin in the Ottawa Hills neighborhood for 20 years and was concerned about her property value falling.

"Of course," she said. "But how many people would tell you that?"

A few doors down, Irene Hazenberg said Franklin's rich history would be disturbed by a name change. The city's public school headquarters was the original site of Calvin College.

"The idea is to honor a black man, but in doing so they're creating many divisions," Hazenberg, 43, said of the debate. "Why not (U.S.) 131? Most of us say the name is a great idea -- just don't take our street's name."

At Franklin and Fuller Avenue, standing next to the ball diamond at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Frank Burrell III said the rejection would hurt morale, especially among young blacks.

"It's very important when you see something that stands for you. It gives you self-esteem," said Burrell, 42, a youth leader who grew up on Franklin.

Joseph Booker was walking with two nephews near the park. He said a commemorative street designation for King "might work."

"There might be other ways, too. Maybe a new city building," Booker, 59, said. "Dr. King wouldn't make a ruckus about it. He wasn't that type of person. He won the Nobel Peace Prize."

Press Reporter Barton Deiters contributed to this report.

[Arrowhead1952]

In Austin Tx, they renamed 19th Street as MLK. Businesses were highly PO'ed because they had to change all their signs, letterheads, business cards, etc. It is a fairly long street and has some of the worst crime areas once it crosses to the east side of IH35.

Austin also renamed 1st Street as Ceaser Chavez. Same problems with the buiness owners when that happened.

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

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[cyborg]

Unfortunately the streets that are renamed MLK such as are not befitting the man's stature at all.

[ASA.Ranger]

Thanks for the post.

Richmond, Virginia, is now host to Lincoln and son thanks to the National Park Service.

The next move is to rename the former capital of the South to The City of Martin Luther King.

I fully expect the Lee Jackson Highway in Northern Virginia to be renamed Martin Luther King Highway. It is only a matter of time before the heritage of the Founders and Patriots is washed away. No memory, no honor and no integrity will hasten to pave the way for Liberal RATs, socialists and communists.

[u-89]

Good lord, peoples' self esteem is at stake and here we quibble about democracy and majority rule.

>Most folks in Grand Rapids do not support a name change.

There, that's proof of the tyranny of the majority against an oppressed minority. A clear cause for Federal action if ever there was one. Minorities have a constitutional right to self esteem, don't the people of Grand Rapids know that or are they so bigoted they don't care?

[SGCOS]

For what it's worth, we have the Martin Luther King Highway, and it's an exit off the Ronald Reagan Highway (I25).

Yeah, but who gives $hit?

Good point.

[Old Professer]

Naming a street after King is a guaranteed way to lower the property values.

[dakine]

Intersection of MLK and Malcolm X Avenues is not a safe area in D.C....

[Viking2002]

There's a truth to that in almost every city and town I've ever been in.

[Keltik]

>>
in Grand Rapids at least, there is a persistent resistance to name changes that involve people of color
<<

I'm still waiting for an explanation of why "people of color" is acceptable, but "colored people" is not.

[lilylangtree]

Let the issue die. Enough is enough. Considering that Coretta King is getting dipsy doodle and with everything else name after MLK, more so than places in WV named after Robert C. Byrd, it's time to call a halt. The man's got a national holiday named after him along with numerous streets, buildings, bridges, etc. throughout the US for cryin' out loud.

[Richard Kimball]

Fascinating article. I might pick this book up.

[WV Mountain Mama]

I was thinking that too. LOL!

[Eric Roelfsema]

Franklin Street in Grand Rapids is not actually named for Ben Franklin. It was named for a godson of a commissioner around 1907. Franklin Street in Grand Rapids used to be known as 8th Street before the change.

I would rather have that US-131 in Grand Rapids be named for President Ronald Wilson Reagan than Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. There are many churches, streets, parks in all across the country for Rev. King.

I have no problem with buildings in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area being named after Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos, co-founders of Amway. Mr. Van Andel and Mr. DeVos are the ones who are putting the money forward to begin these projects, such as the Richand and Helen DeVos Fine Arts Center as Grand Rapids Christian High School. If other people are willing to put some of their own money towards a project, then if their name goes on the building so be it.

Eric Roelfsema
Kentwood, MI, suburb of Grand Rapids.

[BSunday]

May said naming Martin Luther King Park and Rosa Parks Circle did not come easily, and neither will changing the name of Franklin Street.

"Seemingly, in Grand Rapids at least, there is a persistent resistance to name changes that involve people of color," May said. "We find that disturbing."

Seems to me it's more like a trend of every street and landmark in town being changed to "names of color". What is this, some kind of conspiracy ? Get your self esteem somewhere else.

[BSunday]

Martin Luther King Memorial Highway in Portsmouth is a bad area too.

[truthingod]

Since the people of color want to rename city streets after their leaders, I wonder when the gay activists will demand the same? When is this stuff going to end?

[truthingod]

Yes, I agree with Ronald Reagan being honored in our city.
I also agree with naming buildings after those who have supported their developement. Yet, those in the minority community will say they did not have the access to the same resources as the privileged white men(Devos and Van Andel), so they deserve recognition not based on money, but on the name of someone.

[TC Rider]

I've been in a lot of American cities and every MLK blvd I've ever seen starts as a broad blvd with flowers in the median leading directly to the worst part of town.

In no time at all the flowers are replaced with litter, and the corners are congested with druggies and hookers.

MLK must be so proud.

[BSunday]

wonder when the gay activists will demand the same?

Well, I had this great post about a certain highway in Pennsylvania, but I have yet to have any of my posts removed, and that one would've been a candidate...