The details
The street names Bedford Forrest Drive and Bedford Forrest Court received criticism from Missouri City residents due to the names’ association with Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate general and the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.
The decision to rename these streets was rooted in a petition drive led by resident and community advocate Rodney Pearson.
How it happened
Council Member Jeffrey Boney, representing the area encompassing Vicksburg Village, introduced an ordinance amendment in 2020 that lowered the threshold for name changes, according to City Council documents.
This amendment facilitated a smoother process for homeowners to petition for street name changes, a reform that subsequently saw the renaming of streets, such as Confederate Drive, Confederate Court, Confederate South Drive, Prosperity Drive, Prosperity Court and Prosperity South Drive.
The impact
In a unanimous decision, City Council approved the renaming of Bedford Forrest Drive to Liberty Way Drive and Bedford Forrest Court to Liberty Way Court, all of which were officially replaced Aug. 24.
