North Lawndale’s Douglas Park will soon get a new name.
The Chicago Park District board voted unanimously at a special meeting Wednesday to begin the process of changing the West Side park’s name to commemorate abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who escaped slavery and went on to become a well-known speaker and author, advocating for equality and human rights.
Next is a 45-day public comment period to ensure the new name has support from residents, organizations and public officials.
“It is time to right the wrongs of history and reclaim our public space,” said Sheila McNary, a member of the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council, who spoke at Wednesday’s meeting. “We also recommit ourselves to racial and social justice, our commitment to social equity.”
Proponents have pushed for the name change for years. Current namesake Stephen Douglas, an Illinois senator, owned slaves and campaigned for president against Abraham Lincoln in 1860. The park at 1401 S. Sacramento Drive was named after him in 1869.
The board also set the precedent of a two-step process for name changes, first to remove the objected name and second to rename parks, said board President Avis LaVelle.
“We have not done this before,” LaVelle said. “We have not ever stripped the name of a historical figure from a park and replaced it with someone else, which, in this instance, I don’t have a problem with that.”
LaVelle said at the meeting that commissioners “know” the park will be renamed after Frederick Douglass, given the community has already spoke in favor of the name change.
The park district meeting comes just days after protester attempted to topple the Christopher Columbus statue in Grant Park. Separately, Illinois lawmakers have called for the removal of a statue of Douglas from his tomb in Bronzeville, with members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus writing to Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot on the matter. Earlier this month, the University of Chicago removed two tributes to Douglas, who originally helped found the university. Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan has also called for removing memorials to Douglas in the state capitol.
