In the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Spring 2020, Taney Street residents publicly questioned the appropriateness of the street’s name. Named in 1858, one year after the Dred Scott Decision, it honors an individual whose actions conflict with the city of Philadelphia's values of being a diverse and inclusive city.
The all-volunteer residents’ group has worked with Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson’s staff to develop a community engagement process around the possibility of renaming Taney Street. The process was endorsed by community organizations in the neighborhoods where the street exists in the 2nd district.
Rename Taney Coalition Member Organizations:
- Residents Organized for Advocacy and Direction (Point Breeze),
- Fitler Square Neighborhood Association (Fitler Square),
- Young Chances Foundation (Gray's Ferry),
- Center City Residents Association (Center City),
- South Of South Neighborhood Association (Southwest Center City)
As agreed upon with Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson’s staff, the next steps of the process are
1) to circulate a community engagement report based on the engagement activities of the past year:
Read the report
Most notably, 89% of Taney Street residents who completed the survey support changing the name. This report will be circulated through the relevant neighborhood organizations and citywide media.
2) to conduct a survey of S. Taney Street residents and neighbors to determine the finalists for a new name that represents the character and history of Philadelphia:
Take the survey and help choose a new name
The survey will take less than five minutes. Please complete the survey by Sunday, May 16th.
Ultimately the decision to rename Taney Street, which has stood for 163 years, is made by City Council: A bill that includes a new name must be passed by Council in order to officially change the name. The bill would go through a committee hearing and have an opportunity for public testimony before being brought to a vote.
The volunteer group, along with the neighborhood organizations, continues to work with Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson’s staff to establish precisely how the decision will be made. There will be continued communication and transparency in this process and additional opportunity for public input. Thank you for your participation in this process!
