Flyers and banners were seen all around Denver's Stapleton neighborhood recently. Each had the hashtag #ChangeTheNameStapleton and a familiar phrase, Black Lives Matter.
The national movement's Denver chapter, Black Lives Matter 5280 (BLM5280) has focused its efforts on the 4,700-acre northeast community that sits on the site of Denver's long-gone Stapleton International Airport.
Stapleton was named for former Mayor Benjamin Stapleton, a member of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s.
Vince Bowen, one of the organizers behind this campaign, spoke with Colorado Matters host Andrea Dukakis. He talked about why BLM5280 took on this initiative and responded to critics.
Bowen said one name under consideration is Ford; Justina Ford was the first African American woman licensed to practice medicine in Denver. He said the hope is to allow the community to decide together on the new name.
Stapleton United Neighbors has scheduled a special board meeting to discuss the issue for Sept. 10.
Click the audio above to listen to the full interview.
More:
- New Black Lives Matter 5280 chapter envisions safer, stronger community
- BLM5280 petition to change the name of Stapleton
- Learn about Benjamin Stapleton and the KKK in Colorado via the Denver Public Library
- Learn about the Stapleton redevelopment plan, The Green Book
- Forest City, the master developer of the Stapleton community