Nashville community reacts to proposed bill aimed at renaming road after Trump
The bill aims to rename Rep. John Lewis Way.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A bill that aims to rename parts of Rep. John Lewis Way in Davidson County to President Donald Trump Boulevard is getting a lot of reaction from area leaders and the Nashville Community.
Fifth Avenue was officially renamed back in 2021 in honor of Rep. John Lewis. But a bill introduced by Sen. Frank Niceley and Representative Paul Sherrell could change that and not all are in support.
“To sit and honor a president whose organization has tax fraud charges and has been found guilty on all of those and to take taxpayer dollars from Nashville to put signage up to honor him instead is really a slap in the face,” Representative Torrey Harris said.
If passed, the area located between Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Boulevard and James Robertson Parkway would be renamed to President Donald Trump Boulevard.
“You want Donald Trump’s name in the heart of a street in the city of Nashville? You are trying to create a divided city again,” said Herman Patton, a Nashville native.
Patton grew up in Nashville and said it meant a lot for him to see the renaming of the street back in 2021.
“I remember this used to be the most happening part of downtown, and for his name to be put on a street name in Nashville — that’s the heart of Nashville,” Patton added.
While Harris does not support the bill, he believes it could pass.
“What will probably transpire is that we will more than likely look at an option to put an amendment in there to name President Barack Obama as a street, and if they want to approve that one and the other, then that takes the idea away that they are being racist,” Harris said.
WSMV 4 reached out to Representative Paul Sherrell and Senator Frank Niceley for comments. Neither returned our calls before this story aired.
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