MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — A petition has been created to rename a Marin County road named after a slave trader.
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is an east-west Marin County, running fron the trailhead of Point Reyes Lighthouse at the end of the Point Reyes Peninsula to I-550, just west of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.
It is named after the English pirate and slave trader Francis Drake. Drake’s ship The Golden Hind landed along the Pacific coast of North America in 1579 and claimed the area for England as “Nova Albion.”
As the momentum continues for the Black Lives Matter movement following the killing of George Floyd, people around the world are calling for changes — big and small.
The petition, created by Lauren Brown, aims to rename the road after someone or something that stands for inclusivity. It also claims that Marin County is giving a certain impression by naming a road after a slave trader.
“Honoring a slave trader is incredibly offensive and isn’t inclusive to Marin’s community at large. Marin County is making a bold statement to the world that the morals and values that was upheld by Sir Francis Drake is honored by naming a major thoroughfare after him.
Now is the time to take a stand and demand that Sir Francis Drake Blvd be renamed to honor someone or something that stands for inclusivity. This is an opportunity to have Marin County come together, take a stand and unite in solidarity to stop the glorification of the white supremacist Francis Drake.”
The petition encourages Marin County residents and those who use the road to sign the petition.
As of 9:30 p.m. Saturday, the petition has reached more than 4,350 signatures of its 5,000 goal.
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