'Black Lives Matter Way' Is New Name Of Dodge Avenue Next To ETHS

EVANSTON, IL — The City Council unanimously approved a request to honorarily rename a portion of Dodge Avenue in front of Evanston Township High School as Black Lives Matter Way for at least the next decade.

The three-block portion of Dodge Avenue between Church and Lake streets was the site of a mural painted on the road on July 3 in an effort led by players and coaches from the ETHS basketball team.

The city and the school district endorsed the street painting, which includes letters the height of the road's width. Within about 12 hours of the mural's completion, someone defaced it with white paint. No one has been charged in connection with the vandalism.

Coach Mike Ellis and boys basketball players Elijah Bull, Jaylin Gibson, Isaiah Holden and Blake Peters collected signatures from more than two dozen residents in the area in support of the honorary renaming.

"While the murals, news coverage and yard signs will eventually fade, the renaming of the street would constantly and consistently remind Evanstonians to strive for continuous improvement in order to one day achieve a just and equitable City," Ellis wrote in the application to rename the street.

"Recent incidents have shown that many have forgotten that Black lives matter," it said. "The Black Lives Matter Movement has challenged Evanstonians to explore and grapple not only with past and present injustices that have affected Black lives but also the future status of Black lives. This collaborative and collective endeavor amongst [Evanstonians] and those in other cities is a once-in-a-generation moment. We, therefore, seek a permanent commemoration to show continued solidarity, resolve, and to honor the Movement."

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Ahead of Tuesday's vote, Ellis told aldermen he appreciated assistance from 2nd Ward Ald. Peter Braithwaite, 5th Ward Ald. Robin Rue Simmons and other city officials with allowing the mural to be painted and the honorary renaming process.

"We were able to send a message motivated by what we've seen throughout the country, led by Washington D.C.'s painting of 'Black Lives Matter' on their street in front of the White House," Ellis said, joined by several players in speaking during the public comment portion of the remote City Council meeting.

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"Thank you for your boldness, for your effort, for seeing through our long process in municipal government and continuing to be patient," Rue Simmons said ahead of the vote. "I'm really glad to see a permanent installation of our commitment to Black lives there at Dodge Street."

Holden, an ETHS senior, recalled everyone who came out to paint the mural over the summer.

"It was a very memorable moment to see how the community came out together painting the street Black Lives Matter. It was very important to the basketball team and I," Holden said. "Because we have to make a change. And painting the street — I feel like that was the first step to making that change."

Bull, also a senior at ETHS, said the honorary sign was important to emphasize the city and school's values all year long.

"With the upcoming weather conditions coming up during the winter, the Black Lives Matter painting may fade," Bull said. "So it's just another great opportunity to reinstate the idea of Black Lives Matter with the honorary sign."

Peters, another ETHS senior, also addressed aldermen during Tuesday's meeting.

"This is a great opportunity to promote a lot of the values that many of us in our community hold dear," Peters said. "We feel like it promotes inclusivity and anti-racism and things related to that."

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Administered by the city's parks department, Evanston's honorary street name sign program allows for one-block designations for a period of 10 years, according to the application form. Two honorary street signs are erected at each side of a block and one is presented to the honoree — listed as "Black Lives Matter" in the application.

Braithwaite praised his City Council colleagues for their unanimous support of the honorary designation, noting not all residents support efforts by aldermen to pursue racial equity and social justice.

"As much criticism as we have to take from many members of our local community who use labels like 'racism,'" Braithwaite said. "I think this is significant and there are many towns and communities that would not have an opportunity to do this."