KCRag Forum

Rename Berkley Park to MLK Park. MLK did just as much or more for KC as Berkley did.

beautyfromashes wrote:Unfortunately, it’s a road I never use. Paseo became a bit pointless after 71 was built a few blocks away.

Paseo is my detour if 71 is a parking lot.

If you can see stopped traffic south of 22nd, taking The Paseo is often quicker even with the horrible stop lights at Truman and 70

beautyfromashes wrote:Maybe, we could kick off a Barack Obama Blvd trend. First official black President deserves the honor.

http://www.thefader.com/2017/10/03/obam ... latability

At least a year late to kick off that party. Join it, why not.

Renaming a street for MLK is a way for politicians and community leaders to pat themselves on the back without actually doing anything. That's why there is a MLK street in every city, not because of any other reason . "The Paseo" is at least unique among american cities.

tower wrote:Renaming a street for MLK is a way for politicians and community leaders to pat themselves on the back without actually doing anything. That's why there is a MLK street in every city, not because of any other reason . "The Paseo" is at least unique among american cities.

I actually find the rush to name streets after people of national fame a bit trite and think it's really rather irrelevant if KC has a MLK, Chavez, Washington or Lincoln Street. Name streets with evocative names - like the Paseo (it's modeled after the eponymous Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City so we would forever lose that connection with a name change) - or at least honor local leaders (unless they are named "Cleaver"). Cleaver II is the worst name for a street in the US. Nothing against the man, it just sounds like a horror show sequel - visitors must think it's some kind of inside joke. Use his first name and change the name to something more original and palatable like Emmanuel Way.

Really? No pickup on the Berkley idea? He was damned useless as a mayor. The city died on his watch.

brewcrew1000 wrote:

kcjak wrote:I'd rather see Prospect be renamed - there's such a stigma with it (and Troost) being a dividing line, a name change would be a great opportunity to rebrand. And wasn't Prospect the epicenter of the '68 riots that happened around the time of King's murder?

I really think Paseo makes the most sense for the name change because it has a definitive stop and end all within KCMO. Prospect goes all the way down to Belton and even into Cleveland Mo and it also extends up in the northland. Yes you could just rename a small section of Prospect from say 10th to 80th but people might be offended that more sections are not included and The Paseo name itself doesn't have really any historical ties in this area.

flyingember wrote:

beautyfromashes wrote:I’d prefer that MLK get one of our best streets. So many MLK streets around the country have a negative stereotype because they are usually in poorer areas with more crime. Also, make this a connection between black and white. Use the name for an E-W road similar to Emmanuel Cleaver. 63rd St? 75th?

27th. Connect the Liberty Memorial to the east side

The symbolism would be appropriate

27th Street really would be a great one but its a fairly low density street. 31st might be a good one.

As a continuous street Prospect ends just south of the Blue River and then becomes Grandview Road. There are short sections of Prospect thereafter before it continues its long treck that begins at Jerry Smith Park. So Prospect would be a good choice.

I do like the idea of choosing an east/west street and 27th would be a good choice. 31st is too close to Linwood so maybe change Linwood. A better choice might be 18th St. If memory is correct someone once told me a long time ago that 18th St use to be a dividing line between the black and white neighborhoods, much like Troost was later on.

I am against renaming The Paseo, it's a historic name. Why can't they just rename a number street or I-70?

There are already 900 MLK streets/ bridges in the US anyways, everyone already knows who he is, why not rename a street for a local civil rights activist or someone like Medgar Evers who was also a civil rights activist that was assassinated.

I think they choose Paseo purposely to cause controversy so they can call white people racist when they come out against it renaming it... the fact they aren't willing to consider any other street is ridiculous.

Why just a street? I propose renaming Overland Park, KS to honor Rev. King. That would make a statement.

I in general hate renaming stuff, not for reasons, but because I'm awful with names and it terrorizes me for a decade at least until everyone transitions.

I'm still all wtf on the buck oneil.

dnweava wrote:I am against renaming The Paseo, it's a historic name. Why can't they just rename a number street or I-70?

There are already 900 MLK streets/ bridges in the US anyways, everyone already knows who he is, why not rename a street for a local civil rights activist or someone like Medgar Evers who was also a civil rights activist that was assassinated.

I think they choose Paseo purposely to cause controversy so they can call white people racist when they come out against it renaming it... the fact they aren't willing to consider any other street is ridiculous.

I too would prefer to choose another street to honor Dr. King (or even a local leader), but I think your last paragraph is incredibly insulting to the black community. The Paseo is a boulevard in the heart of the KC black community. If you can't understand why they would want to rename the most emblematic, beautiful boulevard on the east side after, who they perceive, to be their greatest leader, then I don't know what to tell you. I just hope you rethink what is behind this and what it means to the black community in KC.

WSPanic wrote:..incredibly insulting to the black community. The Paseo is a boulevard in the heart of the KC black community.

Maybe we should just stop perpetuating this social racial divide? Maybe?

Unless of course MLK Jr. fought for self-segregation. Then, by all means..

im2kull wrote:

WSPanic wrote:..incredibly insulting to the black community. The Paseo is a boulevard in the heart of the KC black community.

Maybe we should just stop perpetuating this social racial divide? Maybe?

Unless of course MLK Jr. fought for self-segregation. Then, by all means..

I'm sorry guys. You are right. The racial healing begins by telling the black community that a combination of community organization and due process are not legitimate ways to have a voice in the community. And furthermore, that if they choose to honor someone, make sure it's someone more palatable than MLK. And, god forbid, if they do honor MLK, please choose a crappy street like Prospect or 31st.

Do you want to tell them, or should I?

I feel like my "you should never rename well known streets" argument was lost.

Ideally they would choose a street that they feel is meaningful and white Kansas City would STFU and be ok with it. If it’s Paseo, then it’s Paseo. That name never made any sense anyway.

chaglang wrote:Ideally they would choose a street that they feel is meaningful and white Kansas City would STFU and be ok with it. If it’s Paseo, then it’s Paseo. That name never made any sense anyway.

Isn't the Paseo designed and named after the Paseo de Reforma in Mexico City. Additionally, why can't or shouldn't people of all races be involved with the naming on public streets.

Fun Fact: the paseo de reforma connects to the real Zona Rosa.

It’s about meaning. I’m sure that the origin of the Paseo was meaningful to some Kansas Citians 100 years ago. If the local black clergy is saying that renaming Paseo to honor MLK has meaning for them, great. Rename the street. If they find meaning in renaming a different street, rename that one. As a white Kansas Citian I don’t see how my thoughts on how the black community honors a black civil rights leader should matter at all. This isn’t for me.

WSPanic wrote:

im2kull wrote:

WSPanic wrote:..incredibly insulting to the black community. The Paseo is a boulevard in the heart of the KC black community.

Maybe we should just stop perpetuating this social racial divide? Maybe?

Unless of course MLK Jr. fought for self-segregation. Then, by all means..

I'm sorry guys. You are right. The racial healing begins by telling the black community that a combination of community organization and due process are not legitimate ways to have a voice in the community. And furthermore, that if they choose to honor someone, make sure it's someone more palatable than MLK. And, god forbid, if they do honor MLK, please choose a crappy street like Prospect or 31st.

Do you want to tell them, or should I?

chaglang wrote:Ideally they would choose a street that they feel is meaningful and white Kansas City would STFU and be ok with it. If it’s Paseo, then it’s Paseo. That name never made any sense anyway.

The tone of both your reply's indicate that you think I'm white..

Thanks for the laugh!


No wonder we're still stuck in the 60's!

It's the biennial "Is im2kull white?" tangent, enjoy!

I have nothing fundemantally against a road being named for MLK.

I just don't get why two things
1. Why is this the only street worth renaming? Would "not the Paseo, let's find a different street" be an acceptable choice?

2. Why only MLK?

Are they thinking too small with just one person honored? It would be really interesting to take a multi-cultural grouping of people that fought for different civil rights movements and honor them all together. Rename 3-5 streets all at once.