Two petitions have popped up online asking people to support the name change of two streets in Memphis.
One petition was started my Orange Mound artists and music producer IMAKEMADBEATS, who’s real name is James Duke. He would like to see downtown’s Main Street changed to Main Street.
“Whether a street gets renamed is not a game changer,” said Dukes. “The game changer, the bigger idea is just based around representation.”
He went on to say that “mane” is a term that shows the unique culture that makes up Memphis.
“It’s a word used by the old and the young, crossing all demographic divides,” the petition description noted. “It’s time that Memphis did what was necessary to not only take ownership in who we are and what we are, but for the city officials to show the people of Memphis appreciation for being and creating this culture.”
Dukes message resonates with Midtown resident Shannon Dixon. She and her neighbors on are trying to reclaim Forest Avenue.
Their petition is to have Forrest Avenue changed to Forest Avenue.
“We would just like our original name back,” said Dixon. “We were originally named Forest with one “r” for the forest that’s right down the road. We would just like to go back to that.”
The Forrest Avenue petition notes that the street was originally called Forest, citing a map from 1911. According to Dixon the street name was changed in the 1920 to an an “r.”
“We don’t want people to think it’s reflective of Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest,” said Dixon. “We just want the name that was originally there. We don’t know why it was changed when it was.”
Both petitioners need to fill out an application with the city if they’d like to see the street name changed.
Dixon told Local 24 News she filled the official application last week.
“We’re excited to see what happens,” she said. “We even asked the city to waive the fees for change. We will see what happens.”