JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city council voted down the proposal to rename a Springfield street to honor the late civil rights activist Ben Frazier.
Frazier died in 2023 at 73 years old after a months-long battle with cancer.
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The idea to memorialize Frazier’s advocacy in the community was introduced in August.
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City council voted 7 to 10 against changing Confederate Street, which is broken up into two places in Springfield, to Frazier Place.
Frazier, who was the president and founder of the Northside Coalition, protested Confederate monuments, pushed city leaders to remove them from area parks, and held demonstrations, calling on the Duval County School Board to change the name of schools bearing the names of Confederate leaders.
He was an outspoken voice in the community, and District 7 Councilman Jimmy Peluso expressed frustration with the council’s vote, saying it is a street that no one lives on, yet people were against the change.
District 6 Councilman Michael Boylan also supported the change even though he said he did not always see eye-to-eye with Frazier but understood his intent.