KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Voters approved changing the name back to The Paseo to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard last November. Signs just started coming down again Saturday.
One parks commissioner would like to see the JC Nichols Found at the Country Club Plaza renamed for Dr. King.
“JC Nichols was a racist individual, an openly known racist. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man who stood for fairness and love and peace,” KC Parks and Rec Commissioner Chris Goode said Wednesday a day after he requested the street and fountain bearing his name have their names changed.
City leaders first approved the name change of The Paseo to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. early last year.
But Kansas City is only taking down signs for one of those men right now, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“I never had a problem with it changing over it was going to be a tribute to someone who had a great impact on our social and civil rights in this country,” said Shari Young, who formerly owned a business on The Paseo.
A group called Save the Paseo formed out of concern for the disenfranchisement of voters during the initial renaming process and historic preservation. They successfully petitioned to let voters decide, and in November Kansas City made headlines by deciding to take back down those Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard signs.
With no deadline the city first concentrated on snow removal and fixing potholes, and was just working their way South putting Paseo signs back up when the coronavirus pandemic hit. So Saturday as protests about racial equality took place in Kansas City and across America, city crews started taking down MLK signs again.
“I feel like with the social climate right now and with the tension across the nation, I feel like that probably should not have been a priority, there’s other things like the reform on the police department and other things that they could have been focusing on besides the actual signage,” Monika Samuels, owner of a salon on the street said.
“After the November election, Mayor Lucas established a public process for community input through the Parks Board. We have yet to hear of the top recommendations received. Our group remains committed to working with Mayor Lucas and the Parks Board to find the best honor for Dr. Martin Luther King, with engagement from the community.” leaders of Save The Paseo said in a statement Wednesday,
Goode says he expects a very different debate with renaming the fountain and J.C. Nichols Blvd. than what transpired renaming The Paseo. He suggests renaming the street for King and the fountain “Dream Fountain”
“These are two polar opposite conversations because the move to rename J.C. Nichols Pkwy and J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain is simply about fairness and doing what’s right.” Goode said.
Some people feel like ultimately happened with The Paseo they should get a voice now, other than proposed community input sessions.
“To have that right to change it it should be up to the voters of Missouri. The plaza has been there forever leave it alone,” Carolyn Cascone wrote in a Facebook post in response to the newest potential name change.
Paseo signs have been replaced as far south as 41st Street so far with crews working on Saturdays on the project. The city expects to have the remaining MLK signs down by the end of the month.
