In Wake Of Charleston Massacre, Congressman Jeffries Calls For Renaming Of General Lee Avenue
Some are scratching their heads over why a Dyker Heights street would be named for a Confederate Civil War general — including Congressman Hakeem Jeffries.
The mile-long General Lee Avenue, which runs through the Fort Hamilton Army Base, is named for Robert E. Lee, who served at the army base from 1841 to 1846.
Jeffries told Business Insider that there is “no good reason” for the road to be named for someone who fought for slavery and racial subjugation.
“Brooklyn is one of the most diverse counties in America, with sizable communities of color. There is no good reason for a street to be named after an individual who led the Confederate Army in the fight to keep slavery and racial subjugation alive in America,” Jeffries said to the outlet. “It is my hope that we will do the right thing and find an appropriate local hero for whom the street can be renamed.”
Jeffries’ comments come in the wake of June 17’s deadly massacre at a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina, that left nine dead. A website registered to alleged shooter Dylan Roof includes a racist manifesto and photos of the alleged killer waving Confederate flags and visiting Confederate heritage sites.
The Charleston slaughter prompted some lawmakers and community leaders to call for the removal of Confederate flags and names from government property.
Another vocal critic of the Brooklyn street’s name is Reverend Al Sharpton, who plans to hold a vigil on General Lee Avenue this Saturday.
When Business Insider reached out to the Southern Brooklyn army base about whether it has received complaints about the name, a spokesperson declined to comment, but noted that Fort Hamilton is landmarked federal property and therefore outside of local jurisdiction.
A spokesperson for the Pentagon told The Hill that several army bases throughout the United States are named for Confederate military figures and that there are currently “no plans” to change their names.
We reached out to the office of Congressman Dan Donovan, whose district includes Fort Hamilton Army Base, but did not receive a response in time for the publication of this article.
