Iconic San Francisco Hotel Could Get Name Change (from "Sir Francis Drake")

KCBS Radio ^ | July 31 2020 | MEGAN GOLDSBY

[rintintin]

The iconic Sir Francis Drake hotel in San Francisco’s Union Square is reportedly mulling a name change, as the 16th century explorer’s name has been disappearing across the Bay Area.

While Drake is best remembered for circumnavigating the globe and crushing the Spanish Armada, a lesser known part of his life is gaining attention.

"There are estimates that he captured and traded between 1,200 and 1,400 slaves. There is nobody that says he was not involved in the slave trade," said Brandon Johnson, organizer of the activist group Change the Name. He said Drake also forced native people from their homes on the west coast, creating a legacy that is not worthy of honor.

A 30-foot statue of Sir Francis Drake at Larkspur Landing has been put into storage and the Marin County high school named after Drake is shedding the name entirely. The name changes are part of a wider national movement to recognize America’s dark history of colonialism and slavery and reevaluate the lives of celebrated historical figures through that lens.

[Rummyfan]

There are estimates that he captured and traded between 1,200 and 1,400 slaves.

OHMIGAWD! The horror!

[Rummyfan]

He lived in the fifteenth century. Who didn’t have slaves then?

[DFG]

Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo CA (Marin County) will change their name as well. My Mom graduated from this HS in 1955. She then went to work as a secretary at Hamilton AFB where she met my Dad. He was in the Air Force and he spent most of his enlistment at the radar station on top of Mt Tamalpais.

https://abc7news.com/sir-francis-drake-high-school-tamalpais-union-district-hs-marin-county-sculpture/6341354/

[Irish Eyes]

Lived in CA for a long time and went to SF often. This was one of my very favorite hotels.

Stayed there often, many years ago. Loved SF when it was a wonderful city a long time ago.

[Senator_Blutarski]

Personally, I’d quietly drop the “Sir Francis” part and introduce a picture of a male duck on the letterhead.

[tinamina]

A lot of addresses will have to change. Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is a very long road from San Quentin to point Reyes seashore.

[Rebelbase]

I’m sure if they dig deep enough they could find dirt on Magellan.

[Rebelbase]

They’d have to renovate. The current back door isn’t wide enough to honor that name.

[Rebelbase]

[nicollo]

"There are estimates that he captured and traded between 1,200 and 1,400 slaves. There is nobody that says he was not involved in the slave trade," said Brandon Johnson, organizer of the activist group Change the Name. He said Drake also forced native people from their homes on the west coast, creating a legacy that is not worthy of honor.

Haha, what a tool. Drake was involved in the slave trade insofar as he sailed along with his 2nd cousin, John Hawkins, who raided Portuguese slave traders and sold the slaves to the Spanish along with whatever else they took. These ventures were hardly successful, and Drake learned that the real loot was in the Spanish treasure, which he singularly looted in Panama, along with freed slaves and natives who helped him.

His next adventure included participating in the Rathlin Island Massacre of Irish (again, under other commanders, so not his doing), so perhaps these fools should protest that instead of the slaves he didn't care about and the occasional displacement of native Americans along the way to stealing from the Spanish who stole from the Native Americans using slave labor thereof?

Anyway, from the Panama excursion, Drake realized that the Pacific coast of the Americas was a soft target and sailed, with great difficulty, around South America and to the west coast, at that point with a single ship of the four he started out with from England the three he attempted to cross the Magellan Strait. In his single ship he raided unguarded Indian and Spanish coasts, including to capture a Spanish treasure ship which yielded far more profit than any slave expedition ever could -- the Queen's share of Drake's expedition more than doubled her income on the year.

So, I'm not really sure what these idiots like Brandon Johnson really want: was Drake bad for his minor participation in slave trade and killing Irish, or for stealing from the Spanish who were stealing from the Inca? Or do they just want to bitch and whine that it's all so damned unfair because someone else stole what they now want to steal?

So confusing.

[roadcat]

I thought there was still disagreement over where “Drake’s bay” was located.

Yes, lots of controversy. My history teacher back in the early 1970s said Sir Francis Drake sailed into San Francisco Bay, but explained the alternative theories about multiple possible landing sites. His argument was that artifacts were found that could have only come from Drakes landing inside the Bay, near where San Quentin prison is. Others argued that the artifacts found their way there from trading with local Indians at the current Drakes Bay site. No one will ever know the truth, and the controversy continues. Soon all evidence of English explorers will be erased, and we'll be told that black African explorers discovered America.

[11th_VA]

George Clooney on destroying cultures (from the Monuments Men):

"You can wipe out a generation of people, you can burn their homes to the ground and somehow, they'll come back; but if you destroy their achievements, and their history, then it's like they never existed ..."

Movie Clip

[albie]

George Clooney on destroying cultures (from the Monuments Men):”

...funny because I would bet that in real life he’s “down with the cause” of tearing down “offensive and hurtful” statues.

[JimRed]

He said Drake also forced native people from their homes on the west coast...

If those native people had a bigger defense budget they'd still have the land.