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Planning Commission to consider fourth attempt at honoring MLK
7/19/2008 11:43 PM   0 comment(s) on this story E-mail this story to a friend



By MICHAEL W. GIBBONS

Managing Editor

The Aiken Planning Commission will consider next month whether to recommend renaming a portion of Beaufort Street, changing the name to Martin Luther King Street.

The hearing, scheduled for Aug. 12, will consider changing the 1.3-mile stretch of road from the Rudy Mason Parkway to Richland Avenue. The remainder of the road, from Richland to South Boundary, would remain named Beaufort Street.

Lifelong Aiken resident John Winfield brought the proposal forth to the City manager's office. Winfield, a retired City of Aiken police officer, said a tribute to King was needed.

"We don't have anything in Aiken in honor of that man. I just decided to go to City Council and inform them that we need something to honor Martin Luther King," he said.

There are no residences along the stretch, and several large tracts are developable, including the shopping center that housed the recently closed Food Lion. Several county and state buildings are along the way, as well as Lloyd Kennedy Charter School, the Willow Run spec buildings and a handful of private businesses.

One of those businesses is hopeful the name does change.

G.L. Brightharp and Sons Mortuary representatives said they were hopeful it would pass, even it meant a little paint to change the sign out front to reflect the new name. Owner George Brightharp called it a "beautiful gesture," sentiments echoed by office manager Natalie Preston.

"I hope that it's passed and gets changed right away. The sooner the better," she said.

This is not the first time an effort has been made to honor the late civil rights leader. In 1994, at least three efforts were put forth to honor King, two of which were successful and one which is largely forgotten.

The first called for renaming a stretch of Hampton Avenue for King. The proposal, put forth by City Council member Beverly Clyburn, ended up deadlocked at 3-3. (The swing vote, then-council member Karen Papouchado, was not present for the meeting.) A few months later, City Council voted 4-3 in adopting the "Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Highway" for the stretch from I-20 to the Savannah River Site. However, the decision came with the provision that no signs or markers be placed along the route denoting the King designation.

A third and final attempt - this time to have a statue or other memorial erected in downtown - fell short as well.

While previous attempts either failed or produced short-lived solutions, Winfield has vowed to continue the fight until it reaches permanent status.

"I'm going to push the issue until they (honor King)," he said.

Contact Michael Gibbons at mgibbons@aikenstandard.com.





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