Taney Street, which was named after an infamous figure in American history, will soon bear the name of Philadelphia civil rights leader and educator Caroline LeCount if the City Council passes a bill that will be introduced Thursday.
LeCount is referred to as "Philly's Rosa Parks" for her activism in the 19th century, fighting segregation on streetcars and raising funds for Black soldiers in the Civil War. She was also the second Black female principal of a public school in Philadelphia.
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Roger B. Taney was the Supreme Court chief justice who authored the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision in 1857, which ruled that African Americans couldn't become U.S. citizens and had "no rights which the white man was bound to respect." Taney has no major ties to Philly.
The road between 26th and 27th streets became Taney Street in 1858. It runs through North and South Philly, including Fitler Square, Fairmount and Brewerytown. A movement for the change, led by a group called the Rename Taney Coalition, has been in the works since 2020.
City Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Councilmembers Jeffrey Young and Curtis Jones will introduce the bill to rename the road LeCount Street. It runs through all three of their districts.
In a Wednesday news conference, Johnson said he hopes the bill will pass by the end of the year. It must go through the streets committee before going to the full City Council for a vote. Johnson did not state when the name change would be in effect should the bill become a law, but he hoped to see new street signs by January.
An engagement process by the Rename Taney Coalition in collaboration with Johnson's staff included door-to-door conversations, online surveys, a town hall and a community-wide vote, resulting in the proposal to name the street after LeCount. According to the coalition, 90% of residents on the street that it contacted supported the change.
The coalition said in a release that the renaming was to "acknowledge and rectify the historical injustices" of Taney's legacy, shape "public memory and values" and foster "a more inclusive and just society."
Tyrique Glasgow, a member of the coalition, said at the news conference that the move was not just a street sign change, but an educational opportunity for Philadelphians.
Ben Keys, another coalition member, said: "I think there's a sense in which this is a small thing, that it's just changing a street name. 'Why don't you work on something bigger?' This is a big deal. It's recognizing that change is actually very hard. And any time you correct a 166-year wrong, that's something that should be celebrated."
An online FAQ reminds residents to notify the DMV when their ID expires should the name change go through and that street numbers will remain the same.