The New Orleans City Council today takes up the creation of a special panel to determine what streets, parks, and public places should be renamed. The focus will be on public avenues and venues that honor white supremacists.
The council is already moving ahead with a plan to rename Jefferson Davis Parkway, dropping the president of the Confederacy in favor of Dr. Norman Francis, who led Xavier University for many years.
"It's the least we can do, and the time is now," said Council Vice President Helena Moreno.
And that's not the only change being considered.
"As policy makers we must also continue to ensure that this is a city where people feel uplifted and welcome," Moreno said. While she and her fellow at-large member Jason Williams are backing the Jefferson Davis re-naming, the five district members are bringing up a motion to consider others.
The motion would create "an advisory committee to provide recommendations and guiding principles to the Council of the City of New Orleans regarding the renaming of certain public streets, parks and places."
The nine-member commission, which would include an appointee from the mayor's office, and appointee from the city planning commission's executive director, and one appointee each from the seven council members. Each appointee should "have a demonstrable record of scholarship, formal or informal, regarding the history and geography of the City of New Orleans, especially in relation to traditionally underrepresented communities."