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Board approves naming Memphis street for MLK
AP ^ | 01/12/2012 | ADRIAN SAINZ

Posted on 01/12/2012 1:47:29 PM PST by Responsibility2nd

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis officials on Thursday approved naming a city street after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., nearly 44 years after the civil rights leader was killed in the city.

The 10 members of the Memphis and Shelby County Land Use Control Board voted unanimously to re-name a nine-block downtown stretch as Dr. Martin Luther King Avenue. Previously called Linden Avenue, it runs in front of the FedExForum, where the Memphis Grizzlies play their home games, and parallel to Beale Street, the famous tourist drag.

The street also runs near the Clayborn Temple, where King rallied with striking sanitation workers days before he was assassinated by James Earl Ray on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4, 1968. King also led a march on Linden Avenue during the strike.

The city already had a section of Interstate 240 dedicated to King, but the naming of a prominent street in the city's tourist district is being seen as a symbol that the city is finally taking steps to heal the wound caused by the assassination

(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: memphis; mlk
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Memphis didn't already have an "MLK Ave"?

I thought every major city in America had a steet in a dangerous part of town renames in honor of Dr. King.

Here in San Antonio we renamed Lord Road to MLK Dr. years ago.

1 posted on 01/12/2012 1:47:35 PM PST by Responsibility2nd
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To: Responsibility2nd
List of streets named after Martin Luther King, Jr.

2 posted on 01/12/2012 1:49:11 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS! This means liberals AND libertarians (same thing) NO LIBS!)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Linden Street is becoming a dangerous area of Memphis to visit so renaming it MLK Ave is very appropriate.


3 posted on 01/12/2012 1:51:21 PM PST by vetvetdoug
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To: Responsibility2nd

I think it will end up on Microsoft’s new map.


4 posted on 01/12/2012 1:51:49 PM PST by Defiant (President Odinga is setting the stage for chaos in the streets. Obey!)
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To: Responsibility2nd

In Baltimore, MLK Blvd is the dividing line between the not so bad and downright ugly parts of town. You don’t want to go west of MLK in that city.


5 posted on 01/12/2012 1:55:05 PM PST by edpc (Wilby 2012)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Looks like crime is going to be going up on Linden Avenue in Memphis. Where’s Chris Rock when you need him?


6 posted on 01/12/2012 1:55:18 PM PST by bigdaddy45
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To: Responsibility2nd

The’ve had a MLK Expressway for years. This MLK Avenue is downtown near the Beale St. tourist district and I would say it’s a dangerous part of the city.


7 posted on 01/12/2012 1:55:56 PM PST by duffee (NEWT 2012)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Jesse Jackson Ave is on the other side of town, but swears it’s right next to MLK.


8 posted on 01/12/2012 1:57:13 PM PST by edpc (Wilby 2012)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Just like that, property values along that street dropped a significant amount.


9 posted on 01/12/2012 1:57:50 PM PST by Last Dakotan
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To: Responsibility2nd

Self-deleting any and all comments relating to all cities with streets name “MLK Blvd” here and now.


10 posted on 01/12/2012 1:58:21 PM PST by Attention Surplus Disorder (The only economic certainty: When it all blows up, Krugman will say we didn't spend enough.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

MLK Way in Seattle is right through a rough part of town.


11 posted on 01/12/2012 1:58:26 PM PST by SkyDancer ("If You Want To Learn To Love Better, You Should Start With A Friend Who You Hate")
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To: duffee

I was with the family on Beale Street in 2008. In the daytime. Nice touristy area. But I could tell - I knew then - this was no place for families to be after dark.


12 posted on 01/12/2012 1:59:04 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS! This means liberals AND libertarians (same thing) NO LIBS!)
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To: SkyDancer
MLK Way in Seattle is right through a rough part of town.

"Roll 'em up!"

13 posted on 01/12/2012 2:00:06 PM PST by dfwgator (Don't wake up in a roadside ditch. Get rid of Romney.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

*sigh* when will the madness end!

Nearly every freaking street and school in America is already named after the guy, enough already.


14 posted on 01/12/2012 2:00:58 PM PST by TexasFreeper2009 (Go Newt!)
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To: dfwgator

“Noticing that plight, kids?”


15 posted on 01/12/2012 2:02:01 PM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: All

This is a classic example of politicians never learning anything. If you look around the country it is obvious that nobody wants to live on any street named after MLK. Why would a municipality want to create an almost guaranteed blighted area?


16 posted on 01/12/2012 2:02:06 PM PST by pokerone (Live Free or Die is more than a catchy slogan.)
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To: Larry Lucido

“Do you think these guys know The Commodores?”


17 posted on 01/12/2012 2:03:05 PM PST by dfwgator (Don't wake up in a roadside ditch. Get rid of Romney.)
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To: TexasFreeper2009

Seems like every liberal in the US is trying to out do the others by naming everything they can find after MLK.


18 posted on 01/12/2012 2:03:54 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Some towns with black middle- and upper- class residents don’t want them; they think it gives a false (and very negative) image of their neighborhoods. The problem is that most “Martin Luther King” streets are in dangerous toilets.


19 posted on 01/12/2012 2:05:09 PM PST by kearnyirish2
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To: duffee
Back in '95, I stayed at the Crowne Plaza on Beale for a business trip. I asked one of my contacts there about places to go, things to see, resturaunts, etc.

He told me about a couple of places and said, "You can go to [can't recall], have a nice meal and not worry about somebody trying to kick your ass. There's also [don't remember] where you can have a drink, listen to some good music, and not worry about somebody trying to kick your ass."

I couldn't be certain if the town was dangerous or if this guy was a trouble magnet. Perhaps a little of both.

20 posted on 01/12/2012 2:08:32 PM PST by edpc (Wilby 2012)
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