Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Hollywood chooses new street names
Freedom, Hope, Liberty may replace Confederacy monikers
HOLLYWOOD — Lee, Hood and Forrest streets — three Hollywood streets named for Confederate war leaders — may soon be christened Liberty, Hope and Freedom.
After years of debate, Hollywood plans to say farewell to the controversial street names honoring Robert E. Lee, John Bell Hood and Nathan Bedford Forrest, who was also the first grand wizard of the KKK.
“It’s been a long road — it’s taken 15 years,” said Benjamin Israel, the Hollywood resident who led the charge to change the names. “I’m elated with what has taken place today.”
During a workshop Wednesday, commissioners tackled the issue of what to rename the streets, with a formal vote on the proposal likely to take place in November.
Mayor Josh Levy suggested Liberty, Hope and Freedom — a suggestion that resonated with commissioners.
“You don’t have to explain those three words,” Commissioner Dick Blattner said. “I kind of like it.”
Commissioner Kevin Biederman said he was relieved to see the commission finally making progress.
“As long as we make a decision and don’t continue to kick the can down the road and prolong the agony and pain,” he said.
The long-running controversy over the original street names sparked at least three protests — two backing the name change and one against — six arrests, one lawsuit and plenty of headlines.
A debate over Forrest Street first arose in 2002, but it was ignored by city leaders. Thirteen years later, vandals painted over signs on all three streets.
Israel, an African American and Orthodox Jew, took up the cause to rename the streets soon after. He was a lone voice at first, but eventually prominent political leaders backed his call for change.
Hazel Levine, who moved into a home on Forrest Street more than 50 years ago, likes the sound of Freedom Street.
“Freedom is a good name,” said Levine, who lives in the predominantly black Liberia neighborhood. “We are free. Free from slavery. That’s a good one.”
But not everyone was happy with the proposed names.
Two groups — Black Lives Matter Alliance Broward and Take Down Slavery Symbols of Hollywood — say they’d prefer the streets be named for Eula Johnson, who worked to desegregate beaches in Broward County, and abolitionists Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth.
Patricia Asman has lived on Hood Street for 58 years and says she wants the name to stay.
“I don’t care what they change it to,” she said. “I don’t want it changed. I want it to say Hood Street.”
She and others who live or own businesses on Lee, Hood and Forrest will need to notify bill collectors and others once the name of their street changes.
The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles has agreed to waive the fee for residents on all three streets when they change the address on their drivers license, Levy said. And the U.S. Postal Service will continue delivering mail to both the old and new address for 13 months, he said.
“We certainly want this to be an easy transition,” Levy said.
“You don’t have to explain those three words. I kind of like it.” Dick Blattner, Hollywood commissioner