Street Name Honoring KKK Leader To Be Changed In Malverne

MALVERNE, NY — After comments from residents, the Malverne Board of Trustees voted unanimously to change Lindner Place, long associated with someone tied to the Ku Klux Klan.

No details on when the name will be formally changed and what it will become. Malverne Mayor Keith Corbett said the timetable going forward would depend on the United States Postal Service.

Lindner Place was named for, if not by, Paul Lindner, a founder of Malverne more than a century ago. But as a leader in the KKK, Lindner's past in Malverne was complicated.

"It is undoubted now, at this point, with the information we've been given verified that he was a member and he was a pretty high ranking member of the Grand Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan," Corbett said. "I don't think that's indicative of anything about this community or this village."

However, one woman, Nancy Willis, addressed the hearing on Thursday night, saying you can switch any signage or remove any controversial statues but "it does not erase history."

Willis added she was "saddened that school project has become such a woke situation."

Dr. Lorna Lewis, Superindent of Schools, said in a statement: "Today the entire community of Malverne stands a little taller, and our students have confirmation that their diligent efforts can make a difference for the future."