Centennial Blvd. name change
prompts community reactions
The City Council voted to rename
the street where Autzen Stadium
sits after Martin Luther King Jr.
By A. Sho Ikeda
Reporter
Students and residents who live
along Centennial Boulevard have
many different reactions to the Eu
gene City Council's recent decision to
rename the street after civil rights ac
tivist Martin Luther King Ir.
After months of controversy and
debate, the council agreed in lune to
rename Centennial Boulevard, revers
ing its earlier lune 9 decision not to re
name the street. City traffic control
employees said new street signs
should be up by Wednesday or Thurs
day of next week, but street posts will
have both old and new street signs on
them for one year.
In response to the decision, Eugene
native and University graduate Mar
garet Chuman initiated a petition to
persuade city councilors to reconsid
er the name change. Chuman is a resi
dent of Chase Village, which lies
along Centennial Boulevard.
"I think that there was a lack of in
formation for the public and a lack of
democracy," Chuman said.
Chuman said she collected 109 sig
natures of people who wished to keep
the current name of the street. Despite
thinking her efforts may have come
too late to change the council's deci
sion, she wanted her voice — and the
voice of others — to be heard.
"There wasn't much consideration
of the public in the decision,"
Chuman said.
Chuman believes Eugene should
honor King with an appropriate me
morial, but she disagrees with the
choice of Centennial Boulevard.
Jessica Waters Emerald
Eugene Public Works employees Charles Lange (left) and Jeff Koziol replace the signposts
on Centennial Boulevard to accommodate the new Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard signs.
community rather titan passing by it,
Kelly said.
He added the name change was a
symbolic act of respect toward Eu
gene's black community.
"Martin Luther King Jr. is a major
1 UU11IV LI Idl
they should have
chosen a roadway
that doesn't affect
so many address
es," Chuman
said. "The Beltline
Highway would
have been better
choice. It's much
larger and more
prominent titan
Centennial."
Ward 3 City
Councilor David
Kelly said he de
sired to rename a
street after King
rather than a
highway.
Jessica Waters Emerald
This Centennial Boulevard signpost at
Kinsrow Avenue is at one of the eleven
locations that will boast the new Martin
Luther King Jr. Boulevard signs.
American nero ana
he deserves to be
honored in every
community," Kelly
said.
Kelly voted in fa
vor of renaming Cen
tennial Boulevard
both times the coun
cil voted on the issue.
Andrea Eide, a
sophomore bio
chemistry major, was
concerned with how
the name change will
affect her mailing ad
dress. Also a resident
of Chase Village, Eide
said she was unclear
whether she needed
I think naming a street after King
is better than naming a highway after
him because a street goes through a
to notify the postal service of a change
of address.
"I'm not sure now if my bills are go
ing to arrive at my apartment or not,
Eide said.
Eide added that she did not think
that the name change was very timely.
"I don't see the sudden need to
change the name now," Eide said. "1
don't see why the city waited till this
year when they could have done this
years ago."
Steve Morozumi, programs adviser
for the Multicultural Center, believes
the city made the right decision.
"This decision was particularly im
portant because Oregon as a state and
Eugene as a city have to make amends
for their history of racism," Morozu
mi said. Blacks have been the target of
discrimination in Eugene and Oregon
in the past, Morozumi said.
Morozumi added that memorializ
ing King would provide an education
al opportunity for everyone in Eugene.
"I think that honoring a great hu
man rights advocate isn't asking much
at all," Morozumi said.
Contact the reporter
at shoikeda@dailyemerald.com.
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