Civil rights leader declines honor over Chicago suburb not calling for cease-fire in Gaza
EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) – The war in Gaza had ramifications in a north Chicago suburb that recently considered renaming a street to honor a local civil rights leader.
But the plans changed when it was declined due to what he said was the town's inaction to introduce a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. It's an issue that has become a contentious one across the country.
Bennett Johnson has spent a lifetime championing and advocating for marginalized communities. Whether it was organizing alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. or consulting for Muhammad Ali on peace missions, he's always found his way home to Evanston.
"The whole point of doing stuff is not to get recognition but to make a change," Johnson said.
His crowning achievement was launching the first Black-owned publishing company in the country. It was among the reasons why leaders in Evanston recently sought to rename a street in honor of him.
When Johnson learned about the gesture, he responded with a letter to Mayor Daniel Biss, which read in part, "I do not want to be associated with a city that will not pass a cease-fire resolution."
His sentiment has divided the town.
City council members withdrew a draft of a cease-fire resolution in December after more than 100 residents clashed over its language. The measure has since been completely off the table.
"A renegade group killed 1,200 people and that was wrong, but then to retaliate and kill 30,000 ... that's insane," Johnson said.
Had the street renaming been approved by the City Council, it would have happened along Washington and Custer, steps away from Johnson's home.
Some have praised Johnson for walking away from the honor.
"His concern for human rights and for the people of Gaza was more important to him than the ego stroke of getting a street named after him," said Lesley Williams, of Community Alliance for Better Government.
A spokesperson for the City of Evanston told CBS 2 that the City Council has not taken a position on the conflict in Gaza.
They said in a statement, "Council members have expressed the preference to avoid weighing in on issues outside the city's purview, unless doing so unifies the community."
Johnson said while there's certainly no bad blood, he will continue to call on leaders to do what he said is the right thing.
"The least they could do right now, is just call for a cease-fire," Johnson said.