FILE – In this Nov. 18, 2008, file photo, Xavier President Norman Francis poses for a photograph at the the university in New Orleans, La. The New Orleans City Council voted unanimously Thursday, Aug. 2020, to change the name of Jefferson Davis Parkway to Norman C. Francis Parkway in January. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:46 AM PT – Friday, August 21, 2020
The New Orleans City Council voted to rename a street named after the president of the confederacy. In a unanimous decision Thursday, the council moved to rename Jefferson Davis Parkway after civil rights leader and former Xavier University President Norman C. Francis.
The trustees of Xavier University of Louisiana initially petitioned for the renaming in 2018 and the movement gained momentum along with national protests in recent months.
The New Orleans City Council formed the Street Renaming Committee in June, which was tasked with renaming locations carrying confederate names.
“This is not an attempt to rewrite history, but make no mistake, the fact of the matter is that we are not rewriting history, we’re writing history the way that it should be,” stated Democrat Jay Banks of the New Orleans City Council.
It’s official! Today’s unanimous #NOLACityCouncil vote to rename Jefferson Davis as Norman C. Francis Parkway marks the first change of a New Orleans street honoring a Confederate figure.
Read more in @NOLAnews here: https://t.co/CRLrCY1kAz pic.twitter.com/WGyTgFwe7c
— NOLACityCouncil (@NOLACityCouncil) August 20, 2020
Francis said he’s honored to have the street named after him, especially as it runs by Xavier University. The new name will go into effect January 1.
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