Dr. Donda West, scholar and mother of Kanye West, honored with street name in South Shore
Part of a street on Chicago's South Side was honorarily renamed Tuesday for Dr. Donda West, a scholar and the mother of rap star Kanye West.
A ceremony was held Tuesday at the corner of 78th Street and South Shore Drive in the South Shore neighborhood. A brown street sign proclaimed 78th Street in the area Dr. Donda West Way.
Dr. West served as a professor at Chicago State University for more than two decades. She was chair of the English Department, and founded the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing.
"Dr. Donda West was not only a scholar — she was a builder of people, a cultivator of talent, and a champion for Black creativity and intellectual excellence," said Ald. Greg Mitchell (7th). "For nearly three decades at Chicago State University, Dr. West shaped minds and opened doors."
Mitchell said West "created a home where young writers, speakers, and artists could discover their voice in their power."
Dr. Garrard McClendon, a professor at Chicago State, nominated Dr. West for the honorary street renaming.
"As chair of the Department of English at Chicago State, she played a pivotal role in shaping the academic landscape of the institution. At Chi State, Donda's contributions were transformative," McClendon said. "Her tireless efforts in establishing the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing stand as a testament and legacy to her unwavering dedication to celebrating African American voices and nourishing emerging literary talent."
Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon, rapper and elected Chicago Board of Education member Che "Rhymefest" Smith, and rapper GLC also spoke at the ceremony. Kanye West himself was in attendance.
Dr. West died in 2007 at the age of 58.
