NEW ORLEANS - At the conclusion of tomorrow's regular City Council meeting, Council Vice President Helena Moreno will introduce an ordinance co-authored by all seven Councilmembers that would legally rename Jefferson Davis Parkway to Doctor Norman Francis Parkway. The instrument, entered for "first read" tomorrow, will then be ready for passage within the next 60 days when the City Planning Commission (CPC) returns its report on the street name change request sent by Councilmembers Moreno and Williams last week.
"Removing the vestiges of Jim Crow from our public spaces is essential work. It does not solve our problems, but it is a small part of healing our society's wounds. This change, driven by a community-led petition, supported by five current or former New Orleans Mayors, Congressmen, State Senators and even national figures like Stevie Wonder, is just the beginning of the work to defeat white supremacy and systematic racism," said Councilmember Moreno.
Last week, Councilmembers Moreno and Williams sent a letter to the CPC formally requesting a study on the name change, the first step in the process. In 60 days or less, the CPC will return a study on the name change, at which time the Council will then pass the ordinance being introduced tomorrow.
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Media Contact:
Andrew Tuozzolo
Chief of Staff
Office of Councilmember-at-Large Helena Moreno
AVTuozzolo@nola.gov
(504) 281-9882