Residents want the Wadesboro Town Council to do something about Salisbury Street — but not necessarily rename it.
Council members discussed renaming part of Salisbury Street and calling it MLK Boulevard during their annual retreat last month. They also discussed renaming part of the street as a continuation of Martin Street.
Several residents weighed in during a public hearing held Monday. Most speakers said the council had good intentions in thinking of improving Salisbury Street, but that the town should focus its efforts on other aspects of the street.
SUPPORT
The Rev. Tony Barr, pastor of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, said he supported the council’s efforts, and that others do, as well.
Barr compared the name change to the town’s replacement of East Wade bridge.
“Today, we have an opportunity to build a bridge for safe passage,” Barr said. “This bridge will take us from our present past to our present future. The Martin Luther King name change is a type of bridge to help bring us from what we used to be to what we ought to be. The name change Martin Luther King Jr. brings about bad feeling to some, I realize, but I encourage everyone to have an open mind that the next generation doesn’t think like we do.”
Barr said that Anson has had, and still experiences, problems with racism, and that this would be a positive change.
While in college, Barr said someone asked him why he celebrates King. At the time, he replied that his own professor was not allowed to attend the same school in 1970 because of his race.
“If it were not for the actions of Dr. King, and the actions of those he inspired, and those who inspired him, I wouldn’t be here today as a student,” Barr said. “That was my response to him.”
The same holds true now.
“If it were not for leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, we would not be allowed to stand before this council today,” Barr said.
Barr said that his church, Smith Funeral Home, Believers Christian Center and Kesler Chapel AME Zion Church support the name change.
AGAINST
Denise Robinson spoke on behalf of Kesler Chapel, but said the church had changed its mind since the pastor had spoken with Barr.
“Our church does agree that Dr. King was a great man,” Robinson said. “We also agree that we should name a street that talks to his legacy. His legacy was to uplift communities. And we do agree, because we’ve been a part of this, about the crime, because we’ve been a victim of crime three times.”
But the church disagrees with giving an area “filled with violence and crime” King’s appellation.
“If we could see some attainable goals met, uplifting and building our community on that street, we would come back into discussion of that, but at this time we oppose that,” Robinson said. “We also want to know are there other options that we can truly honor this great man? And then we can go into consideration of that.”
Some of those “attainable goals” could be met by bringing in more police.
“We need to see that there are attainable goals, measurable goals and some type of accountability before we attach ourself to that at this time,” Robinson said.
She was also concerned about the cost to property owners and residents on the street.
Marvin Deese said he was primarily concerned with the cost for businesses on the street if part of Salisbury Street was renamed Martin Street.
Both Wadesboro Lumber & Barns and Anson Regional Medical Services, Inc. would incur high costs if the name was changed, Deese said.
Sandra Horten said that there is nothing wrong with the current name.
“I don’t see any negative connotation about the name Salisbury Street,” she said, adding that the only negative part was that the street needs to be cleaned up. “A rose is still a rose by any other name. You name it anything and it will be the same street unless it’s cleaned up.”
Horten said that a road she lived on was renamed and it caused paperwork headaches. Many on the street cannot afford lawyers to help with any problems that may arise from the change, she said.
King was a good man, she added, but naming the street after him won’t help.
“Chris Rock, one of his jokes was a friend of his was in a phone booth on Martin Luther King Boulevard in some town, and he’s asking, he called his friend, ‘I’m lost, what am I going to do?’” Horten said. “And Chris Rock said, ‘Run! You’re at Martin Luther King Boulevard!’ That’s just how it is today.”
The street name is often used in lower-income areas, she said.
If the name must be changed, she asked the council to consider a local figure to name it after.
Charles Horten also asked the council to rethink the name change.
“You will not change that stretch of road or the area around it by giving it another name,” he said. “That’s just how it is. So you have to ask the question, how can we fix that road?”
Horten suggested the council removed junk cars from properties, enforce ordinance violations and rezone some residential areas, allowing businesses to move in and increasing area property values. He also asked that the council use a local name for the street “if it really must,” but to rename a different road instead, either a new or existing one.
“Boulevards are normally places you think of parades, and pedestrians and enjoyment of the outdoors,” he said. “That’s not a U.S. highway. If you must have Rosa Parks Boulevard, rename Greene Street or Wade Street or something that can be used as a boulevard. Think of what the connotation of ‘boulevard’ means. It doesn’t mean U.S. highway. So for the U.S. highway, do more of these big improvements, do whatever you can to get rid of disaster properties that have been let go.”
MIXED REACTIONS
Several people asked the council to give the street the name of a local role model rather than naming it after King.
Jeff Boothby said that while he supports renaming the street, he would rather see the council select a different historical figure.
“I suggest that, instead of an ambiguous figure from the past that can be controversial, we look at an influential African-American from Anson County in the past that can give our children an attainable example that even in the past when they didn’t have the opportunity we have today, this person overcame the adversity they saw. They became successful and they can give an example to our kids of how you can find a middle-class lifestyle, how you can achieve the American dream, and it’s someone from our past who shows that ‘I did it right here in Anson County.’”
Boothby suggested Lilly Streater Massey, Anson’s first African-American nurse, as a possible candidate for the honor.
He also suggested that a better-kept area, such as an area in the uptown, could be dedicated in King’s memory instead.
“Wouldn’t that be more respectful to his memory?” Boothby said.
Charlette Bennett agreed with Boothby.
She suggested Massey, Ada Forbes Singleton, a civil rights activist, Dr. Altheria Patton, a local retired educator who recently received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, and Harold Smith, owner of Smith Funeral Home, as a few examples of individuals the street could be named after.
Bennett also asked the council to consider the cost of the name change.
“If it’s going to be an astronomical cost, then the community of Salisbury Street may be better served first with street lights or sidewalks, some of that brush being cut down, because that’s the first area that visitors come into,” Bennett said.
Signs and other beautification measures would also help.
“A name change will be a cherry on top,” she said.
David Harrington supported the name MLK Boulevard, but cautioned that the change could cost residents. He also said he felt the town gave short notice that it was considering the change, and that it should have higher priorities in the area than a name change.
“First we’ve got to clean up the inside of it,” he said. “We’ve got to clean the back streets first and get those presentable so those back streets, Ingram Street and other streets, have got ditches and need pipes put in. Let’s fix up those first and then come back to Salisbury Street.”
Harrington did like the name.
“The name is great,” he said. “I think Martin Luther King would be a good name, and a great name, but still, let’s clean up the inside first before we clean up the outside of anything.”
COUNCIL RESPONSE
The Wadesboro council said it would take the public’s response into consideration as it looks into whether to make a change.
Although the topic was brought up at the town retreat, it was brought up as a proposal, not as an official motion.
Councilman Bobby Usrey asked whether he should make a motion that the council drop the issue, but town attorney Jeff Carpenter said that was unnecessary.
Usrey suggested that instead of renaming the street, the town could add a sign dedicating the street to King’s memory but leave the name as it is.
Ballard and Usrey both voiced concerns about the cost to businesses, property owners and residents on the street if they were forced to make changes to insurance and other documents once the street name was changed.
Mayor pro tem James David Lee thanked the residents who spoke.
“We’ve had some good dialogue,” he said. “It gives the council something to think on, something to look into. We appreciate you all taking your time to come up here.”
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.