Austin Equity Office proposes renaming 7 Confederate streets - and even the city itself

[TexasTowelie]

The Equity Office is recommending the city remove or change the names of streets, parks and markers in Austin that honor the Confederate States of America and slavery.

The office also suggests eschewing the name “Austin” altogether, as Stephen F. Austin fought to defend slavery in the Texas Revolution and supported the institution after the state gained its independence from Mexico. In a memo, it states:

(Austin) fought to defend slavery in spite of Mexico’s effort to ban it; believed slave labor indispensable for Texas to flourish in its production of sugar and cotton; believed that if slaves were emancipated they would turn into “vagabonds, a nuisance and a menace.” Wanted slaveowners to be compensated if their slaves were emancipated.

The Equity Office released its recommendations today after City Council asked it to examine the issue in October. It labels seven streets as “high priority” for renaming:

Littlefield Street
Tom Green Street
Sneed Cove
Reagan Hill Drive
Dixie Drive
Plantation Road
Confederate Avenue

Read more: https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2018/07/equity-office-proposes-renaming-7-confederate-streets-and-even-the-city-itself/

Any suggestions for a new name for Austin?

[unblock]

1. Longhorn, Texas.

[TexasProgresive]

2. Jordan for Barbara.

Or just go back to Waterloo.

[Quemado]

3. Waterloo, Texas

That was the original name: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterloo,_Texas

[marble falls]

4. Got a great name for Austinn .... Austin. By all means rename the confederate streets ...

tear down all the confederate flag and monuments.

[rownesheck]

5. Oh please do all of this!

I love Austin! I hope they make all those changes because it would totally piss off muy trump humping family, especially my uncle who lives in nearby Elgin!

[3Hotdogs]

6. The whole Texas independence, the war itself, the Alamo....

It was all for preserving slavery. The deal was, Anglos were allowed to settle into Texas but they were not allowed to have slaves.

Nobody was gonna tell white people what to do.