The owners of Calhoun Square shopping center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, have decided to change its name in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
“Since purchasing Calhoun Square in October 2019, Northpond Partners have been evaluating numerous ways to strengthen and enhance the property to better serve the community,” the owners announced Thursday on the plaza’s website.
The announcement continued:
Among the changes we have been exploring since the purchase is renaming the property. As a reflection of our support and solidarity with the city of Minneapolis and the Black Lives Matter movement, we have decided to expedite this process. The Calhoun Square name and signage will be removed from the building, effective immediately.
The tragic death of George Floyd and ensuing events throughout the country have made it crystal clear that to move forward as a community we must remove painful reminders of the worst chapters in our nation’s history. A property named for a known racist and champion of slavery has no place in Minneapolis or anywhere in our society.
“A new name for the property as well as new signage and our plans for the redevelopment of the property will be unveiled at a future date,” the statement continued.
The square, located at Lake and Hennepin, previously shared a name with Lake Calhoun. According to KARE 11, the lake was named after United States Vice President John C. Calhoun, who served the office from 1825 until 1832.
The United States Senate website read:
Calhoun returned to the Senate in November 1845 and remained there for the rest of his life. Increasingly defensive about the institution of slavery as the abolition movement gained momentum, and agitated at the growing discord between the slaveholding and free states, he spoke, as he informed the Senate in 1847, as “a Southern man and a slaveholder.”
“Calhoun died on March 31, 1850, convinced that his beloved South would one day withdraw from the Union he had labored so long and hard to strengthen and preserve. Even in death, he was a controversial figure,” the site continued.
Thursday, the Northpond Partners said they looked forward to engaging in an “open conversation” with tenants, shoppers, and neighbors to decide on a new name for the shopping center.
“We also remain committed to partnering with the community to ensure our property is a welcoming environment for all people and a positive contributor to the city,” the announcement concluded.