What's Missing From Downtown St. Louis? A Street Honoring Michael Brown, but That May Soon Change

Cristina M. Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP

As the 10th anniversary of the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson approaches on August 9, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, in their infinite "wisdom," have decided to commemorate the occasion. A bill put forth by Alderman Rasheen Aldridge would rename a portion of Tucker Blvd., which runs directly in front of St. Louis City Hall, after Michael Brown

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The honorary portion of the street would be renamed "Michael O.D. Brown Way." In much the way George Floyd has been celebrated, part of the proposed bill reads, “Michael Brown’s legacy on the City of St. Louis should be recognized for the impact that his life had on our City, on our nation, and across the world”:


On August 9, 2014, Brown, 18, was with a friend when they were stopped by Officer Darren Wilson walking down the middle of a street. Wilson stopped the two because they fit the description of two men who had stolen items from a nearby convenience store. A physical struggle ensued, with Brown reaching into Wilson's SUV trying to grab his gun. The struggle ended with Brown being fatally shot.  

The incident sparked violent protests and riots in Ferguson and in St. Louis which eventually took place all over the nation, with violent confrontations between protesters and police. It was also the catalyst for the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement. Following the unrest, the Ferguson Commission was formed to study social and economic conditions throughout the region. Aldridge served on that commission. 

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Aldridge's new bill also claims that Brown's death enabled the formation of a coalition that helped transform politics in the city of St. Louis, allowing for more black candidates to be elected to office.


The renaming of a street after Brown will not meet a lot of resistance within St. Louis city itself. Like a lot of other places, St. Louis has been run by liberal Democrats for decades. The last time a Republican sat in the mayor's office was 1949. There are still those who believe the myth of "hands up don't shoot," that Wilson shot Brown while he was surrendering. So, it is no surprise, in an era where Democrats are all for coddling criminals, that they would celebrate the life of someone who had allegedly assaulted a store clerk before allegedly stealing from that store.  

For the renaming to go forward, there would have to be at least 60 percent support from those who are registered voters and live or own businesses along the stretch of Tucker Blvd. to be renamed. They would then need to sign a petition, and the Board of Aldermen would need to recognize those signatures before making the street name change.

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University City is another nearby St. Louis suburb, home to lots of popular bars and restaurants. There you will find the "St. Louis Walk of Fame." There are stars on the sidewalk with the names of famous St. Louisans like Tina Turner, T.S. Eliot, and Charles Lindbergh. Is Michael Brown next? 

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