Fredericksburg Urges Virginia To Rename Jefferson Davis Highway

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — The Fredericksburg City Council adopted a resolution Tuesday urging the Virginia General Assembly, during its special session in August, to remove the Jefferson Davis Highway name from U.S. Route 1 statewide and replace it with a name that is more inclusive and not connected to the Confederacy.

The city council also voted to authorize a contract with the Police Executive Research Forum to conduct a third-party review of local law enforcement’s response to the demonstrations of May 31 through June 2 in Fredericksburg.

In addition, the council discussed a plan to add three members to the Fredericksburg Police Department’s Citizen Advisory Panel, increasing it from six to nine members, and formalizing a charter. Increasing the size could lead to some younger members and representatives of community groups being added to the panel, the city said.

“Our community and its City Council have once again proven that we are committed to being a welcoming and inclusive city — working together to swiftly adopt changes that advance the City of Fredericksburg," Fredericksburg Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw said. "Our revolutionary spirit is truly one of our most valuable assets, making us a City that leads by example."

Since protests began in Fredericksburg and across the country in late May in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the knee of a police officer, the city has witnessed intense debate on the response by police to protests and the role of policing in the city. Over the past month, the city has become proactive in bringing change to address the concerns of protesters, city businesses and residents who value a responsive police department that protects the public.

At Tuesday's meeting, Fredericksburg's city council said it is seeking a new name for Jefferson Davis Highway that "promotes our shared values of unity, equality and a commitment to a better future for all Americans." If no action is taken by the General Assembly next month on renaming Jefferson Davis Highway, the city council said it will move on renaming the part of Route 1 that run through the city.

Born in Kentucky, Davis was a member of the Mississippi congressional delegation before serving as president of the Confederacy from 1861 to 1865.

Meanwhile, the city council voted to allocate its CARES Act funds to a number of community initiatives, including moving an additional $500,000 to small business assistance measures for a third round of grants and for the creation of a citywide economic development and tourism marketing program.

The city council also discussed phase 1 of the city's Racial Equity Plan for community reform through addressing racial inequality and racial discrimination in the city. The plan is an advancement of the roadmap that the city council unanimously approved on June 23.

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