Equity Office Suggests Renaming Austin, Texas
The ongoing debate over Confederate statues has now led some in Austin, Texas to consider whether or not it's time to change the name of the city.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, Austin's Office of Equity suggested renaming the city. The suggestion came in a report last week that also suggested renaming streets and parks including Barton Springs.
According to the Statesman, the Office of Equity took issue with Stephen F. Austin:
Known as both the “father of Texas” and the namesake of the state’s capital, Stephen F. Austin carved out the early outlines of Texas among his many accomplishments.
He also opposed an attempt by Mexico to ban slavery in the province of Tejas and said if slaves were freed, they would turn into “vagabonds, a nuisance and a menace.”
For that reason, the city of Austin’s Equity Office suggested renaming the city in a report about existing Confederate monuments that was published this week.
Also on the list of locales to possibly be renamed: Pease Park, the Bouldin Creek neighborhood, Barton Springs and 10 streets named for William Barton, the “Daniel Boone of Texas,” who was a slave owner.
The report did state that there would be opposition to renaming streets, parks, and the City of Austin, and asked "what's next and where do we stop" according to the Statesman.
Citizens would have to vote to approve a name change to Austin if the city decides to move forward on the idea.