Naming of street adds to legacy

MLK once strode Linden in protest

The city of Memphis soon will have a street named in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And it may be the only such named street in the country where King actually marched.

The Memphis and Shelby County Land Use Control Board unanimously approved the name change for Linden Avenue beginning at Wagner and ending at Danny Thomas Boulevard.

“Words can’t describe my feelings right now,” said former city councilman Berlin Boyd, who presented the resolution for the name change to the City Council where it was approved last month.

There was some opposition to the proposal.

Thomas Pandola, who owns a business at 27 Linden, has had trouble with getting his street address accurate with the city and county and was worried that a name change would result in more problems.

Lee Miller who represented

King’s fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, suggested that a larger street be named in his honor.

And Gregory Grant with the local chapter of Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network wanted the new name extended eastward to Somerville Street .

It is Linden’s location during the civil rights struggle in Memphis that made it the best street to rename, Boyd said.

The iconic “I Am A Man” photo- graph was taken by Ernest Withers at Linden and Hernando, Boyd said.

Linden was part of the route for the March 28, 1968, march led by King that originated at Clayborn Temple on Hernando. Those marchers fled on Linden back to the church after violence erupted.

“How many cities throughout the United States can say that their Dr. Martin Luther King Avenue was actually marched on by Dr. King himself ?” Boyd asked.

In addition to parking lots and vacant lots, that stretch of street includes Fedexforum, Robert Church Park and the Chisca Hotel.

Two new hotels are also planned nearby.

“I think the world is looking at Memphis,” Boyd said. “This shows that Memphis has healed.”

Because the City Council already has approved the resolution, the action is final.

New street signs should be in place by April 4 — the 44th anniversary of King’s assassination in Memphis. It’s not clear if the signs will read “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue,” which may be too long, or if they will be shortened to read “Dr. M. L. King Jr. Avenue.”

Sunday marks what would have been King’s 83rd birthday.

— Linda A. Moore: (901) 529-2702