Calhoun Square To Drop Name Of 'Known Racist And Champion Of Slavery'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The owners of Calhoun Square, the shopping center in the heart of Uptown in Minneapolis, announced this week that they are scrapping the name.
"The tragic death of George Floyd and ensuing events throughout the country have made it crystal clear that to move forward as a community we must remove painful reminders of the worst chapters of our nation's history," Northpond Partners wrote in a statement.
The name Calhoun is a reference to John C. Calhoun, a former U.S. vice president who defended slavery. The lake near the shopping center, the largest in Minneapolis, once bore the name Lake Calhoun, before an effort in recent years restored the lake's Dakota name, Bde Maka Ska.
"A property named for a known racist and champion of slavery has no place in Minneapolis or anywhere in our society," Northpond Partners said.
RELATED: Minnesota Supreme Court Rules Bde Maka Ska Lake Name Will Stand
All signage is in the process of being taken down. The owners say they will work with tenants, neighbors and shoppers to come up with a new name. Currently, the building is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lisa Bender, the president of the Minneapolis City Council, tweeted that the renaming of the shopping center is a "small but significant change."