Hearing Feb. 22 on street change proposal
A movement is underway to rename Randolph Street after Ida B. Wells.
A public hearing to take comments on renaming the street is set for February 22 at 5:30 p.m. At the Eddie Lee Smith Multi-Purpose Center.
A measurable crowd of interested citizens for and against the proposal to rename Randolph, named after the founder of Holly Springs, William S. Randolph, attended the February 1 meeting of the mayor and board of aldermen.
Assembled in favor of renaming Randolph were Kent Falkner, Pat Glass, Paul Lampley, Evelyn Elliott, Allyssa Jones, Landry Hearn, Virginia Horton and Fergenia Hood.
Presenting alternate ideas or concerns were Beth White and Lyla McAlexander, whose ancestor founded the city, and Jim Smith and Stacey Humphreys, who presented an alternate street suggestion to honor Wells.
Leona Harris, curator of the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum, read a prepared script proposing the renaming of Randolph Street.
“The major reason we are here is to ask for your support,” said Harris, after some 400 people she has talked with favor the name change.
The museum is located at 220 North Randolph Street in the historic district of Holly Springs.
“Ida B. Wells was one of our great leaders,” said Harris, citing Wells as a passionate crusader for justice, acclaimed journalist, anti-lynching activist and women’s rights activist.
Mayor Sharon Gipson noted the proposed name change coincides with February, Black History Month.
Moving quickly, Gipson proposed the name change, without a public hearing, after 30 days.
City attorney John Perry suggested a public hearing be held prior to changing the name of a street.
“I think to be safe, you would need to publish to make it public,” he said.
“We do not have to publish before it is done,” Gipson said. “We can put it down to the next board meeting and take a vote February 15 (the next regular board meeting).”
Ward 3 alderman Colter Teel weighed in.
“I would like a public hearing,” he said.
He said Wells’ name deserves respect but Randolph Street is named after the founder of the city.
Gipson said she didn’t think she needed to advertise for a public hearing.
Perry said generally a public hearing is advertised two consecutive weeks, announcing the date of a hearing.
“I yield to the city attorney,” Gipson said.
Teel made a motion to advertise in the newspaper for the public hearing to be held February 22 at 5:30 p.m. The motion passed by unanimous vote.
Gipson then held up a Mattel doll depicting the image of Ida B. Wells, which is on sale at the museum.
Ward 4 alderman Patricia Merriweather said there were living kin of Randolph present at the meeting.
Ward 1 alderman Bernita Fountain asked the time frame for changing the name since 911 postal addresses would be changed.
Merriweather said the Marshall County Chapter of the NAACP wants the Ida B. Wells’ name to go on Memphis Street.
During three-minute public comment falling at the end of the threehour meeting, several people weighed in on the best way to honor both Wells and Randolph.
“Thank you to the city attorney for preserving some sense of democracy,” said Jim Smith.
He said attempting to pass an ordinance without public comment, no matter the legality, “is simply wrong.”
Smith added that making the public wait to comment to the end of the meeting (three hours) was “an attempt to push an ordinance through in one night.”
“I am not so naive to think that anything I say here today will change the minds of those in positions of authority,” he said. “To me, that is an indictment of politics in the 21st Century that permits our society and our government from the local level to the presidency of this nation.
“I am not against renaming a street in town in the honor of Ida B.Wells. I am all for it, but not at the expense of removing the name of Randolph from the hallowed rolls of the honored. What we forget is without William Randolph, there is no Holly Springs. I say to fellow Holly Springs residents, know your history.”
He said without William and Jack Randolph, Samuel McCorkle and the Alexanders, there would be no Hill Crest Cemetery, no square, no public schools – all land donated by the founding fathers of Holly Springs.
He suggested renaming Memphis Street, with city hall “on the same street of our favored daughter.” Smith was followed by Humphreys who titled her talk, “Wedges.” She said she knows that renaming Randolph Street was not meant “to drive a wedge, a divide in this town.” She said she believes all people have good hearts but sometimes take action without considering all its effects.
“When we act in haste, we risk alienating our fellow citizens,” Humphreys said. “I fear that is exactly what you are proposing to do. We need to ask, why this street? Why discard a street name that has the possibility of driving a wedge that is already there so much deeper?
“A street named in honor of Ida B. Wells is a good thing. Build on that consensus, continue the common ground.”
Beth White, Lyla McAlexander and the late Billy Newsom, former city clerk, are all descendants of Randolph. The street runs from Rust College and crosses Van Dorn Avenue to near Hill Crest Cemetery.
“It is more dignified to name Memphis Street for her – which has city hall,” White said. `Don’t you think that would make her proud?”