Where The Streets Have No Name
By Keith Boykin, in politics
Friday, June 1 2007, 12:05PM
For several years now, I have lived in Harlem near Malcolm X Boulevard, also called Lenox Avenue. It's just one of the many street names here that have been changed since the civil rights era began. In addition to Malcolm X, there's also Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, and of course, the obligatory Martin Luther King, a virtual requirement in every African American community.
The street names celebrate some of the great legends in black history. But now there's a new controversy in New York about renaming another street for a different black folk hero. His name is Sonny Carson, and whether he was a hero or a villain may very well depend on your perspective. Some, like Mayor Mike Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, describe Carson as a racist criminal. But others, like City Councilmen Charles Barron and Albert Vann, who are black, say there's much to cheer about Carson's life story. So should the city name a street after him?
He's been described both as a "servant to the community" and a plague on it. Robert Sonny Carson Jr. was born on May 20, 1929, in Orangeburg, South Carolina, according to an online biography. The oldest of 6 siblings, Sonny and his family moved from Orangeburg, South Carolina to Brooklyn, New York when he was three years old. But as a teenager he got mixed up in a gang called the Lords, and later in life, in 1974, he was arrested on murder, attempted murder and kidnapping charges. Although he was acquitted of the murder charges, he was sentenced to seven years for kidnapping.
But it's not his criminal past that worries some critics of the move to rename a street on his behalf. What bothers them, they say, is his racially divisive rhetoric.
Mayor Bloomberg has described the proposal as "the worst idea anybody in the City Council has had." Said the mayor, "I think there's probably nobody whose name I can come up with who less should have a street named after him in this city than Sonny Carson."
Carson's supporters instead focus on the good that came out of his life. After graduating from high school, Carson joined the United States Army and served as a wartime paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne during the Korean War. Carson, who died in 2002, became a community advocate and antidrug crusader after his incarceration. "Sonny Carson got more crack houses closed than the entire Police Department," said Council member Barron. Carson was also the subject of a movie later in life.
When asked about accusations that he was anti-Semitic, Carson seemed to admit another bias instead. “That’s absolutely absurd, ‘anti-Semitic.’ And so you don’t ask the question, I’m antiwhite. Don’t limit my antis to just one group of people." And in 1990, Carson led a boycott of Korean-owned delis in black neighborhoods, carrying picket signs that said, “Don’t shop with people who don’t look like us.”
Michael Nelson, a Jewish member of the Council, said that Carson once walked into his wife’s classroom and said he didn’t want any white Jews teaching his children, and threatened to carve his initials in her chest if she didn’t leave. He voted against renaming the street.
This week the New York City Council settled the matter, for now. In what was described as a "racially divisive hearing," the council rejected the street renaming proposal by a 25-to-15 vote. Although the vote was characterized as taking place on racial lines, seven black or Hispanic council members abstained from voting.
The issue also pitted Council Speaker Quinn, the council’s first openly gay speaker, against Councilman Barron, a Brooklyn Democrat and a former Black Panther. Wagging a finger in Quinn’s direction, Barron said, “You have divided us more than Sonny Carson ever did," according to the New York Times account of the meeting.
There were 51 names on the Council’s list of street names this year, including one for the actor Jerry Orbach of "Law and Order" and Broadway fame, and for dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey. But it was Sonny Carson Street that caused all the controversy.
Given the divisions about Carson, what should the City Council have done? Should they have voted to rename the street after him or left it as it is?
Comments conceal
Derrick from Philly
June 1 2007, 12:27PM
Give the people of a particular neighborhood what they want. Aren't there streets down south named after Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson? These men were traitors to the United States, but they're heroes among a segment of the United States' population. Here in Philly we have Cecil B. Moore Avenue. That's what it's called in the black neigborhood of NOrth Philly, but when the street runs into the white area called Fishtown, it goes back to being Columbia Avenue(the original name).
From reading the little piece about Mr. Carson's life and beliefs, I can't believe that he would have had much of a liking for Alvin Ailey, Bayard Rustin, Audre Lorde, or James Baldwin; but if I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will correct me.
Lucille
June 1 2007, 2:07PM
Since I don't live in NYC, just what is Bloomberg, Nelson and Quinn's record on fairness and equality, safe neighborhoods, etc., for black citizens of NYC? How may blacks have been in the higher echelons of Bloomberg's old company, other than the occasional doorman? Usually those who are the most vocal about anything positive or negative about a black man, leave much to be desired in race relations themselves. And, somehow, I doubt that they even care what goes on up on 125 Street anyway, so, why would they even care who a street is named after? Let the residents decide, since this gripe was used in many major cites about MLK street name changes once the street was out of the hood and into the "white" areas.
Blue
June 1 2007, 2:42PM
Yepper Derrick, in fact, I went to Jefferson Davis Middle School ...
Ostend Street
June 1 2007, 4:18PM
Let the neighborhood and/or the community decide. Bloomburg..............please!!!!!
Mel Smith
June 1 2007, 6:20PM
Well, how would you guys feel if Carson made anti gay comments about us? Now, he would likely not have seen that you were black like him. In 2007, we actually do have allies like Bloomberg. When the Sean Bell incident happended, Bloomberg spoke out against police brutality. Let's be fair. If those accusations are true about Sonny Carson, a street should not be named after him. I respect your argument about the former defenders of slavery, but this is 2007. By the way, I am a black male.
Solo
June 1 2007, 6:57PM
I still can't get over hearing white people accuse balcks of being racist, especially given their history all over this planet. What I found particularly amusing is hearing Christine Quinn, a lez, gleefully join in on the attacks on the black community. I do live in New York and I can say for a fact there are lots of streets in this city and no doubt all over the country that are named after white racist. I was in the chamber when they were debating this issue and it was classic racism, not only did you have the usual white conservative bigots arguing against the measure but the people who always walk around claiming how much they love blacks, Gays, Hispanics, Asians and white liberals joined them. The vote was staright down the line color. Blacks voted in favor and all the none blacks voted against. When it comes to fighting 4 ours rights negros are out there alone!
Lucille
June 1 2007, 7:46PM
Well, Mel, I'm black but, not gay, saw this site on my gay son's computer, and thought it was interesting. That said, my problem is white folks telling black people who they should have as a hero, sorry, not their place, since they have done next to nothing about the poverty and other issues that face un in this country. And, Bloombergs words, nice for the camera, but, what has he done to rectify the problem of police brutality? The Jewish fellow, they, Jewish landlords milked Harlem dry from what I've read, so, whose he to be telling the community who to like or want a street named after? And, the question of if Carson made anti-gay black comments is moot, since I did not read anything in the article that he did.
Its a community thing, not people trying to tell the community what to think and who to respect, by the hypocrites who loate them to begin with, since those who are not for the street can't wait until the gentrifaction is done, and blacks priced out of the area.You can take that to the bank!
J
June 1 2007, 8:08PM
If we can name streets after slave owners/rapists, I don't see why that man shouldn't have a street.
Mel Smith
June 1 2007, 11:19PM
Lucille, I understand your logic. But, this is how I see it. In 2007, I don't think we should name a street from anyone who makes disrespectful comments against people based on whatever. Now, that is how I personally look at this situation. Believe me, I don't think people will name a street after a slave owner in 2007. That is my only point. I do think we should be sensitive because you have some decent Jewish people and some decent everybody. If Carson made those statement, they were ugly. But, I do understand your views about Bloomberg and how he handles certain issues. To be honest, I read Adam Clayton Powell autobiography, but I have issues with how he treated Bayard Rustin, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. former right hand man.
C. Baptiste-Williams
June 2 2007, 12:56AM
Solo, you can be racist regardless of your own color and history
Mikaele
June 2 2007, 1:35AM
I don't live in New York and the name Sonny Carson didn't mean anything to me until I read the article.
How would black or gay people feel if a proposal was made to name a street after David Duke or LaRouche? People could argue that both of these men made contributions to their communities too.
If prejudice and bigotry is unfair and unnecessary for some - then it has to be for all. We, as blacks, gays or whatever cannot claim the moral high ground in pointing out other's racism and then turn a blind and benign eye when the poison comes from one of our own.
jess smith
June 2 2007, 4:08AM
Keith, Who cares about what happens in NYC? To be the largest city in the US, blacks in NYC are dealing with some triffling sh**. With unemployment, crime, and rampant discrimination, is this ALL you people (New Yorkers) have to talk about?
Mikey
June 2 2007, 4:55AM
I personally think there is a large double standard between the races and I feel that in order to truly get past our race problems we need to seriously think about these double standards. I don't think a street name SHOULD be named after Sonny Carson because of the things he said. Sure the history of white people is not something to brag about, especially in relations to whites and indiginous people, however that doesn't make it right for us to do the same. I mean if white people were trying to name a street after somebody that said they were "anti-black," we would have a field day, so why isn't it the same situation here? So regardless of what good he may have done that still doesn't change the situation. I believe Jerry Falwell did some good when he was alive but that doesn't make him a good person in my opinion
Kenneth Winfrey
June 2 2007, 9:45AM
White racist people hated us simply because we ARE Black (not for what we did or do), and rationalized that hatred in order to justify exploitation. When Carson and others have talked about the exploitation of Blacks by other groups such as Jews or Koreans, it has been made to seem as if it was a 1-to-1 reaction.
However, it was not. When you move (as an ethnic group) into a Black neighborhood and begin to do business with Black people in ways that are less than ethical, the problem we will have with you is not your race; the problem is the systematic organization of our exploitation by members of your ethnic group. I don't remember Black people or gay people creating industries like slavery or preaching a message of say "heterophobia."
@Jess, if you really don't "care" about what's going on in NY, then why post?...if you truly think it's irrelevent, then it wouldn't have deserved your time and energy to post a comment. The issues you describe were the issues that were important to Sonny Carson.
Mel Smith
June 2 2007, 10:56AM
Good point, Kenneth. I sometims feel angry about being treated as a second class person. But, I'm just saying that I don't lash out at people in the public by using nasty insensitive language. All Jews or all of nobody don't exploit our communities. That's all I'm saying. Although, I understand Carson lashed out because of exploitation.
Kurt Smith
June 2 2007, 3:01PM
I'm young black and gay... Carson who?
Aly
June 2 2007, 4:26PM
What I would really like to know is this Carson's record on homosexuality and the gay community. That's my yardstick.
Solo
June 2 2007, 7:32PM
C. Baptiste-Williams sorry to burst your bubble but that non-sense you and people like you spew that anyone can be racist just doesn't stand up when measure against history. What you said is what people who like to deny race and its impact say. Afterall if everyone is racist then why talk abut it? Sorry there is only one race that has a long painful history of oppressing people and that is the white race. Your attitude is what they call muddying the waters, when your being accused of doing something awful what you do is try to drag everyone else down to your level and that is what u and whites like to do but some negros are not buying that. Sonny Carson and OJ Simpson don't equal the slavery and worldwide suffering people of color have experienced at the hands of whites. Plus u don't have read history to see a pattern all you have to do is go to Iraq and Afganistan to get a modern example of white oppression!
Antoine
June 3 2007, 10:32AM
Solo- What C.Baptiste-Williams said was and I quote "you can be racist regardless of your own color and history". Lets be honest here, no matter what your skin color is or your nationality you as an "individual" can have racist views or thoughts towards another race. And because of our history of inequality(of African Americans) that does not give us an excuse to be racially motivated. No one is arguing that fact the whites have a long history of oppression with people of color. With all fairness, not every white person in America is a racist or any other nation of color for that matter. Hate is a choice not a mandate!
Just a thought.
Kenneth Winfrey
June 3 2007, 1:09PM
Thanks Mel, I agree that rhetoric must be tuned so as not to offend--but rather to defend. I think that all of these warnings against hatred can be made moot by an argument of love.
I'm not talking about just loving other races, I am talking about loving ourselves as individuals and as Black people to begin to build our own institutions, grater faith in one another, and our own sense of ownership through education and entrepreneurship so that we will never be usurped, exploited, or made to feel as if anyone else has power over us.
I would love to see the day when race is not a factor in the way we involve ourselves. However, until that day comes, and as long as members of other ethnic groups prefer working for and amongst themselves to take care of each other, Black people might need to do the same thing...
Ultimately, I won't blame ethnic groups that exploit us in our own neighborhoods as much as I blame us for letting it happen. We have the power to overcome the oppression of our past.
Ron Lee
June 3 2007, 2:43PM
I give props to keith and everyone here on the board,you have all good insite on the matter.I believe as someone said earlier it should be up to those whose neighborhood the street is in;and furthermore this issue is a great distraction for what is happenning in NewYork in reference to Black men,crime,underemployment and just a great disconnect amongst black-leadership. NewYork,Chicago,Baltimore,Philadelphia,Detriot,Washington,St.Louis,Miami,Atlanta,NewOrleans,Houston,Dallas,Austin & L.A. are all dealing with the same issues of the parasites who are feeding off us and those among us with great ideas & bandaid action.The sad thing about it is it has become global certain ethnic groups are taking over latin-america& Africa read "The Worlds On Fire".They're not doing anything we can't,thing is we did it for tens of thousands of years. Remember those who call themselves europeans today were in caves when we built the Pyrimids.PEACE OUT.
Solo
June 3 2007, 4:21PM
Antoine sorry but I am not alling for that. If you asked a black person who is hostile towards whites why they are that way they will give u a totally diferent reason than say if you ask bigoted white person the same question about blacks. The Negro will point to a specific incident that they or someone they knows personally who suffered a beating by the police, an bias attack or some such thing. A white will say some variation of blacks are inferior, are prone to crime or are intellectually slower than them. The kind of thing that you would never hear a black say. So plz don't allow yourself to believe that we are the same as them because negros are not!!!
Kenneth Winfrey
June 3 2007, 5:08PM
I hear you Solo. I (too) do not believe in using the term "racist" to describe people of color becuase the defnition of any "-ism" includes the exercise of power. Oppressed people, by defnition, are not in the position to exert such power.
However, the term "prejudice" does appropriately describe those who treat members of an ethic group harshly group based only on their race. Such prejudice is fallacious because it presumes the consciousness of an individual based only on their appearance...keeping in mind that, for example, many bi-racial people often look like one race or the other making it impossible to really know their ethnic background or cultural inclinations. This happens not only with Black-white mixes.
Therefore, we can, and must, learn to discuss and deal with ethnic oppression without individual prejudice...and we must understand that not all "prejudice" is racist.
Kola Boof
June 3 2007, 9:03PM
Is there a Harriet Tubman Street or a Sojourner Truth or Toni Morrison street in Harlem? Isn't it about time?
Solo
June 3 2007, 9:24PM
Kenneth Winfrey I get what you are saying and totally agree brother! Much love and respect!
JD
June 4 2007, 12:54PM
Solo, ask my white grandparents why they hate black people, and they will tell you about the multiple times they were mugged and robbed by them. By your accounts, their hatred is justified because it's driven by what was done to them by a certain group. There is NO GOOD REASON for anti-white OR anti-black bigotry. My grandparents are ridiculous and so is Sonny Carson. To name a street after him is a slap in the face of all white and Asian people who have fought racism in this country.
I say, let's take up Kola Boof's suggestion. Let's name streets after nonracist black heroes.
DDC
June 4 2007, 4:37PM
I don't think the street should be named after him, though I wouldn't lose sleep if it was. What I find ironic is that there's a Malcolm X boulevard on 125th, and he was a militant black separtist much more famous and influential than this Carson. So are these same people against Carson Street going to work to have X's name removed? If not, they're (lazy) hypocrites.
Solo, if you think whites are the only ones who have a long history of opressiing people, then you know next to nothing about real history. You need to stop reading all of those European-slanted text books and start feeding your mind with some independent studies. It will change your way of thinking about life and human nature, believe me.
JD, your grandparents' reason for hating blacks kind of undermines your argument. Would they hate white people if all their muggers/theives had been white? NOT. Seems just to be a great excuse to justify a deeper more racist reason.
mikaele
June 5 2007, 2:42AM
DDC:
Malcolm X - through his Middle East travels and observations of Muslims of all racism getting along - changed his ideology of separation.
Check out his autobiography.
And brah, don't be so quick to castigate others for their opinions and viewpoints.
All are valid and welcome here.
Louis
June 5 2007, 1:52PM
If this one man helped to close crack houses, battled with drug dealers, and brought a little calm to a Black neighbhood undersiege, I say "name a street after him." No man is perfect, and every person holds certain feelings and prejudices. Sonny was born in 1929 not 1979. His experiences in this world was totally different from most of you on this board. This man lived in one of the worst periods of America's history. Most people on this board are under the age of 45, and could not even fathom what this man experienced. I am willing to say most of you would LOSE your DAM mind if you were not allowed to enter into Saks,Burberry,Nieman,Gap, and every other store in America. And, for the fool that talked about his ignorant grandparents: who cares. We all know that Black on Black crime far exceeds any Black on White crime. Your grandparents are using this trip to validate why they hate you as a Black person.
DDC
June 5 2007, 2:37PM
Mikal, check yo'self. 1)My question about X was a rhetorical one, too bad you can't comprehend sarcasm.
2)"And brah, don't be so quick to castigate others for their opinions and viewpoints. All are valid and welcome here"
Humph, if you'd follow your own advice when it came to my viewpoint, then your little soapbox sermon would have more legitmacy.
LGBT4SonnyCarsonStreet
July 19 2007, 6:04PM
Updated 7-19-07
Please forward widely
We ask other LGBT activists in NYC and nationally to join us in signing this important solidarity message. Sign on at: lgbt4sonnystreet@gmail.com.
OPEN LETTER FROM LGBT ACTIVISTS
TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY OF BEDFORD-STUYVESANT
We the undersigned--lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender-nonconforming, and other activists fighting oppression based on sexuality, gender and sex--express our support for the right of the Black community in Brooklyn to decide to rename an avenue for the late Black community activist Sonny Abubadika Carson, who some called the "Mayor of Bed-Sty" for his long-time community activism.
The white members of the New York City Council, led by Speaker Christine Quinn, does not speak for us when it tries to block the right to honor Sonny Abubadika Carson by charging that he was "anti-white." That political charge that the anger in nationally-oppressed communities towards the oppressor nation is "reverse racism" is a white supremacist wea
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