A Florida city has scrubbed about half of the signs for streets named after Confederate generals, according to a Tuesday report.
Hollywood, Fla.’s city commission voted unanimously to rename streets named after Confederate generals Robert E. Lee, Nathan Bedford Forrest, and John Bell Hood, reported Sun Sentinel. The streets are being renamed Liberty, Freedom, and Hope, respectively.
“I’m glad that the streets now honor ideals that we all share,” Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy said, according to the Sentinel. “Liberty, hope and freedom is what our country stands for. And that’s a lot better than the message the prior names were sending.”
Do you know where Freedom St is in Hollywood? How about Liberty or Hope? They’re the new street names that took the place of Lee, Hood & Forrest…those streets were named after confederate Generals or Klansmen. The renaming is almost complete after years of battling @CBSMiami pic.twitter.com/ZSNulMg2Gq
— Ted Scouten (@CBS4Ted) April 3, 2018
Hollywood activist Benjamin Israel started petitioning the city to rename the streets in July 2015. Israel, who is black, was particularly incensed with the street named after Forrest, who became the first KKK grand wizard. The activist’s initiative gained support from Black Lives Matter, as well as the Anti-Defamation League.
Hollywood residents Laurie Schecter and Linda Anderson submitted a formal request to rename the streets in June 2017 and raised $6,500 for the initiative, according to the Sun Sentinel. The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to the Hollywood city commission to inquire how it raised the money required to rename the streets but received no comment in time for press.
Not all residents are pleased with the decision.
“I have family on every one of these streets,” 55-year resident of Hood Street Patricia Asman said. “And none of us wanted this. If my grandkids didn’t live across the street, I’d be out of here. I think it’s wrong.”
The remaining signs should be replaced by the end of April.
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