By 2003, over 730 streets in over 39 states had been "named or renamed" for the Civil Rights leader, according to a January article in Planning Magazine.
But is such commemoration suitable for the man who led the US Civil Rights movement? Does it really honor his astounding legacy to attach his name to highways - the cause of loathed morning commutes, not to mention a major factor behind oil dependency and climate change? And keep in mind, the construction of major thoroughfares has historically resulted in the dislocation of entire black neighborhoods.
I understand the urge to honor Dr. King by dubbing key elements of a city's infrastructure after him, because it shows that the local leadership is making efforts to integrate his memory into the daily lives of residents. Yet even in the realm of honorary infrastructure, there must be more appropriate and meaningful ways to celebrate his contributions to our world. Name City Hall after him, perhaps - or the whole downtown!
On the other end of the commemorative naming spectrum, San Francisco residents recently proposed to rename their local Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant the George W. Bush Sewage Treatment Plant.
Now there's a moniker-change I can sincerely support.
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