Barack Obamamay no longer be the nation’s president, but his memory will live on in the streets of Los Angeles — especially on his forthcoming namesake boulevard.Late on Tuesday evening, L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti announced that one of the city’s roadswould be renamed in Obama’s honor.“It’s official: our City Council has voted to rename Rodeo Road to Obama Boulevard!” he wrote on Twitter.“We’re thrilled that Angeleons and visitors will forever be reminded of the legacy of President @BarackObama while traveling across L.A,” he added alongside a smiling photo of the 43rd president of the United States.Members of the city councilunanimously approvedthe renaming of the 3.5-mile road on Tuesday, according to ABC 11.Despite its similar name, CBS News reported that Rodeo Road has no connection to Rodeo Drive, which is in Beverly Hills. Instead, the road is located in a predominantly African-American residential area that is close to Rancho Cienga Park, where Obama held a campaign rally ahead of his historic election, according toUSA Today.Obama Boulevard will also be part of an area commonly called “president’s row,” which refers to a group of streets named after former U.S. presidents George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, according to theLA Daily News.The president has yet to comment on the news.Thomas Imo/Photothek/GettyThe day on which the announcement was made also holds special significance — both for Obama, and the civil rights movement.In a series of Tweets, L.A. City Councilman Herb Wesson — who first proposed renaming the road in Obama’s honor over a year ago — pointed out that Tuesdaymarked the anniversaryof the day Obama “became the first African-American presidential nominee from a major political party” in 2008.Wesson also wrote that the announcement coincided with the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.This isn’t the first stretch of road in California that’s been named after Obama. The state previously unanimously voted torename a portion of the 134 freewayafter the former president, according to The Hill.
Barack Obamamay no longer be the nation’s president, but his memory will live on in the streets of Los Angeles — especially on his forthcoming namesake boulevard.
Late on Tuesday evening, L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti announced that one of the city’s roadswould be renamed in Obama’s honor.
“It’s official: our City Council has voted to rename Rodeo Road to Obama Boulevard!” he wrote on Twitter.
“We’re thrilled that Angeleons and visitors will forever be reminded of the legacy of President @BarackObama while traveling across L.A,” he added alongside a smiling photo of the 43rd president of the United States.
Members of the city councilunanimously approvedthe renaming of the 3.5-mile road on Tuesday, according to ABC 11.
Despite its similar name, CBS News reported that Rodeo Road has no connection to Rodeo Drive, which is in Beverly Hills. Instead, the road is located in a predominantly African-American residential area that is close to Rancho Cienga Park, where Obama held a campaign rally ahead of his historic election, according toUSA Today.
Obama Boulevard will also be part of an area commonly called “president’s row,” which refers to a group of streets named after former U.S. presidents George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, according to theLA Daily News.
The president has yet to comment on the news.
Thomas Imo/Photothek/Getty
The day on which the announcement was made also holds special significance — both for Obama, and the civil rights movement.
In a series of Tweets, L.A. City Councilman Herb Wesson — who first proposed renaming the road in Obama’s honor over a year ago — pointed out that Tuesdaymarked the anniversaryof the day Obama “became the first African-American presidential nominee from a major political party” in 2008.
Wesson also wrote that the announcement coincided with the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
This isn’t the first stretch of road in California that’s been named after Obama. The state previously unanimously voted torename a portion of the 134 freewayafter the former president, according to The Hill.
source: people.com
