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Mayor wants uptown street named after Confederate general changed

By Joe Bruno, wsoctv.com
By Joe Bruno, wsoctv.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts wants to change the name of one of uptown’s popular streets as cities across the country cover up and take down Confederate monuments.

Stonewall Street is named after Confederate Gen. Thomas Stonewall Jackson. His wife, Mary Stonewall, moved to Charlotte in 1873.

Roberts wants the name changed because it is in honor of a Confederate general.

Thousands of people are on Stonewall street every single day, whether it's driving or stopping at Stonewall station on the light rail.

"Yes, I absolutely support renaming Stonewall Street,” Roberts said. “As I've said for years, Confederate monuments belong in museums, not in places of public prominence."

State Sen. Joel Ford is running for mayor against her in the Democratic primary and said he agrees that the name should be changed.

“I don't want to forget our history, but I don't think we should celebrate our Confederacy that was treasonous and un-American at best,” Ford said.

Ford wants the business community to be included in the conversation, but thinks this topic is worthy of consideration by City Council and the city manager.

Parker Cains is a Republican at-large candidate for City Council. He said Roberts cares more about national issues than local ones and this shouldn't be the city's priority right now.

“I think Charlotte has much bigger issues than renaming streets,” Cains said.

Typically, for a street name to be changed it needs approval from 75 percent of the people who live on it.

But since the mayor is requesting it, it only needs the thumbs up from City Council.

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