All People Earn the Right to Be Respected!

I came across an article the other day in which Nashville International Airport announced plans to rename the airport in honor of the legendary Dolly Parton. I think that's a wonderful idea because Dolly has always been a genuine and respectful person to everyone, regardless of race. However, DJ Envy raised an interesting question about why there aren't more airports named after Black icons. It’s a thought-provoking question, though the news article didn’t answer it. Given the current cultural and social divisions, especially with the media being very cautious, I wasn’t really expecting them to share all the details openly. 

Many significant public places in the United States, like airports, sports arenas, government buildings, universities, and highways, are not named after well-known Black Americans. This largely stems from historical and ongoing disparities in political power, wealth, influence, and control over public memory, which play a big role in whose names are chosen. Understanding this helps us see how history shapes the names around us. 

Naming reflects who had power when many institutions were created. A large portion of America's major infrastructure was established during periods when Black Americans were largely excluded from political and economic power. Airports, courthouses, universities, civic buildings, highways, and stadiums expanded dramatically during the late 19th and 20th centuries. For much of that period, especially before the Civil Rights Movement, Black Americans faced: 

·      Legal segregation and discrimination.

·      Disenfranchisement.

·      Restricted access to higher education.

·      Barriers to professional advancement.

·      Exclusion from many political offices.

·      Restrictions on property ownership and economic opportunities.

·      Segregated public institutions.

As a result, the decision-makers responsible for choosing who gets commemorated have been predominantly white and often male. This is important because public naming isn’t just about fame; it’s about who holds the power to decide whose name appears on the landscape. 

America's public memory has traditionally centered on a specific version of history, from the white perspective. For many generations, stories about American history have mainly highlighted presidents, military leaders, industrialists, explorers, wealthy businessmen, and political figures. Unfortunately, the incredible contributions of Black Americans were often left out of this familiar narrative, even though they played a vital role. Consider figures such as: 

·      George Washington Carver.

·      Frederick Douglass.

·      Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable

·      Robert Smalls.

·      Harriet Tubman.

·      Bethune Cookman

·      Booker T. Washington.

·      W. E. B. Du Bois.

·      Thurgood Marshall.

·      Dr. Daniel Hale Williams.

·      Dr. Charles Drew.

·      Benjamin Banneker.

·      Martin Luther King Jr.

·      Rosa Parks.

·      Jackie Robinson.

·      Mae Jemison.

·      Mary Jackson

·      Catherine Johnson

·      Dorothy Vaughn

·      Ida B Wells

Many of these individuals are now well recognized, but that doesn’t always mean major institutions are named after them. These are just a few examples, and many others have had their patents renamed or stolen, yet they still contributed to safety, convenience, and comfort for all Americans. The Civil Rights Movement brought about significant changes relatively recently, especially since the 1960s. Today, you’ll see more schools, streets, libraries, parks, government buildings, bridges, and other facilities named after Black Americans. A well-known example is Martin Luther King Jr.— hundreds of streets, schools, buildings, and public spaces now bear his name. However, it’s important to distinguish between different kinds of recognition: having a street named after someone is meaningful, but it’s quite different from prestigious honors like naming an international airport, major university, professional sports arena, or nationally prominent institution after that person. These high-profile recognitions are often harder to achieve because they’re tied to institutions with enormous economic, political, and cultural importance. 

Wealth really plays a big role in how places are named, but it's a topic that often doesn't get enough attention. Nowadays, many new stadiums and arenas aren’t named after historical figures at all. Instead, they’re often named after corporations, since these companies pay good money for the right to have their names displayed. For instance, a company might spend millions of dollars to keep its name on an arena for many years. This creates a new naming system that reflects financial influence. 

As professional sports have grown more commercial, corporate naming rights have often replaced honoring historical figures as namesakes. Nowadays, the focus isn't just on asking, "Which great American deserves to have this arena named after them?” but also about considering, "Which corporation or family is willing to pay for the naming rights?" 

Airports are particularly complicated. Airports often retain names connected to: 

·      Local politicians.

·      Former mayors.

·      Presidents.

·      Military figures.

·      Aviation pioneers.

·      Business leaders.

·      Geographic locations.

Some interesting exceptions are worth mentioning. For example, New York's main airport is named after John F. Kennedy, and Atlanta's airport proudly honors Maynard Jackson, the first Black mayor of Atlanta and the first Black mayor of a major Southern city. Additionally, New Orleans' international airport was renamed in honor of Louis Armstrong. This is especially meaningful because Armstrong wasn't just a famous musician—he became the namesake of a major international airport. So, it’s not that such cases don't exist, but rather that they are less common, and the distribution of such honors is unequal. 

There was also intentional omission of Black historical achievements. It's important to understand this carefully. While it's too simple to say every omission was due to a conspiracy to deny Black people recognition, it’s true that systems in place historically often downplayed Black accomplishments. During segregation and the Jim Crow era, American history education usually reflected a predominantly white perspective. Black achievements were frequently left out, understated, or mainly portrayed through slavery and racial oppression. This created an interesting contradiction: Black Americans learned about their ancestors' suffering, but not always about their impressive contributions in fields like science, the military, entrepreneurship, art, politics, and technology. When society doesn't teach these contributions, future generations are less likely to honor those who have made significant impacts by naming institutions after them. 

A name on a building is more than just a label. Think about two airports: Airport A, named after a wealthy industrialist whose achievements are mostly recognized locally, and Airport B, named for a Black scientist who revolutionized agriculture and impacted many Americans. Every traveler arriving at Airport B sees that person's name, turning the building into a living lesson in history. This simple act of naming can educate and inspire without a classroom. That’s why choosing names thoughtfully truly matters. 

Every time people drive down a street named after King, enter an airport named after Armstrong, or attend a school named after Tubman, society is essentially saying: "This person's contribution is important enough for us to remember." However, it's important to remember that Black Americans are a diverse group, and they don't always see eye to eye. Sometimes, even within Black communities, people have different opinions about whom to honor. For example, the question arises: should a building be named after: 

·      A civil rights leader?

·      A scientist?

·      An educator?

·      A military veteran?

·      An entrepreneur?

·      An artist?

·      An athlete?

·      A politician?

·      A religious leader?

·      A local community activist?    

For example, Colin Powell exemplifies notable military and government achievement, whereas Duke Ellington symbolizes remarkable cultural accomplishment. Countless deserving candidates exist. The real challenge is deciding whose legacy should represent an entire city, state, university, or institution. 

Local Black history is often overlooked, but it's such an important part of the story. Thousands of Black Americans have made incredible contributions to their communities, even if they never gained national fame. A city might have had:

·      A Black physician who established the first hospital serving Black residents

·      A teacher who educated generations of children

·      A business owner who employed hundreds

·      A minister who organized community development

·      A veteran who fought for the country despite facing discrimination at home

·      An entrepreneur who built businesses during segregation

·      A civil-rights organizer who risked imprisonment or violence

Yet a major building may still bear the name of someone whose contribution to the community was considerably less significant. That raises a legitimate question: Are we preserving the history of the people who built our communities, or simply preserving the history of those who already possessed the power to have their names preserved?

Over the past few decades, we've seen a wonderful increase in how Black Americans are honored in public spaces. Today, you'll find airports, schools, highways, courthouses, libraries, parks, monuments, universities, and public buildings that celebrate and acknowledge their invaluable contributions. 

As of July 6, 2023, Ebony Magazine listed these Eight Black Airports: 

·      James Herman Banning Ames Municipal Airport—Ames, Iowa

·      Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport—Rochester, New York

·      Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport—Birmingham, Alabama

·      Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport—Baltimore, Maryland

·      Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport—Louisville, Kentucky

·      Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport—Jackson, Mississippi

·      Maynard Jackson, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport—Atlanta, Georgia

·      Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport—New Orleans, Louisiana

Please note that all these individuals have passed away and are widely recognized, so they are not alive to rename airports after themselves. The process is often controversial. Renaming an existing institution, especially while the namesake is living, can generate opposition because people argue that: 

·      Historical names shouldn't be erased.

·      Renaming is too expensive.

·      The original namesake should remain part of history.

·      The proposed namesake is politically controversial.

·      The change is motivated by politics rather than historical merit.

·      Authority does not give anyone the right to rename an existing institution.

Those arguments deserve consideration. But an equally important counterargument is this: Changing a name does not erase history. A historical marker can explain who previously held the name and why it was changed.

At the heart of your question isn't just about why more things aren't named after Black Americans. Instead, it prompts us to think about who truly gets remembered as a builder of America. The country's physical landscape — from airports and universities to highways, courthouses, monuments, military bases, buildings, and stadiums — acts like a map of American influence and memory. Sadly, this map hasn't always shown the full story of Black Americans' contributions. The aim isn't to replace one set of names with another but to craft a historical landscape that genuinely honors everyone who helped shape America, including those Black Americans whose roles have often been overlooked. That's a much more meaningful goal than just adding more names. Recognition should come from contribution, not race. However, when a whole group of contributors has been overlooked for so long, it's important to set things right and ensure historical accuracy.