“Savannah wouldn’t be Savannah without its history but some of it leaves a stain. Calhoun Square off Taylor Street is named after John Calhoun, a former South Carolina politician who supported slavery.
Patt Gunn, the founder of the coalition to rename Calhoun Square, said, “We also don’t want someone who’s a pro-slavery advocate in the middle of a public square with my tax dollars.”
She’s been leading a coalition for two years to rename it after someone they say deserves it – Susie King Taylor.”
As of May 2022, the coalition has finally met the 51% requirement needed to move forward, meaning that the square will likely be renamed.
Efforts to rename public spaces have been crucial in ongoing reparations, as this type of historical acknowledgement constitutes a substantial portion of satisfaction-focused redress. For more examples of successful renaming efforts, visit AARN’s Redress Map.