Petition Launches To Change Norman Street Named After KKK Leader

NORMAN, Oklahoma - Hundreds of people in Norman are joining a petition to change the name of one of the city's historic streets.

DeBarr Avenue is named after one of OU's founding faculty members, who was also a KKK leader. The debate over the legacy of Edwin DeBarr has been ongoing for decades now. The street is one of the last places to bear his name, but one city councilwoman is hoping to change that.

An online petition is nearing its goal of 500 signatures in just three days. It was created by Norman’s Ward 6 councilwoman Breea Clark. While the street is not in her district, Clark is an OU professor who wants to rally the community against the university's dark past.

“We all live here,” said Clark. “We all want to provide a welcoming community for everyone in Norman, and I think this is a great way and an easy way to show that we really are working towards that.”

Read more: http://www.news9.com/story/35001091/petition-launches-to-change-norman-street-named-after-kkk-leader