Chicago alderman wants to rename Columbus Drive after Barack Obama

The Chicago City Council is once again making headlines for a potential decision that has infuriated thousands of the city's residents.

According to The Hill, the council is considering a move that would rename the popular Columbus Drive, named after explorer Christopher Columbus, to Barack Obama Drive.

The proposed ordinance has drawn intense backlash from Italian Americans in Chicago, and the groups that represent them, given Columbus' heritage.

Chicago City Council Alderman Lamont Robinson introduced the proposed change last week, citing the need to "honor more Black men, and this is one small way we can do that."

"Chicago’s children deserve to see that they too can become Black history & cement a new tourist destination to increase Chicago tourism highlighting where Black history was made," he said in a post written on X.

We need to honor more Black men, and this is one small way we can do that. Chicago’s children deserve to see that they too can become Black history & cement a new tourist destination to increase Chicago tourism highlighting where Black history was made. https://t.co/VjBg7mbDiZ

— Alderman Lamont J. Robinson (@LamontJRobinson) March 20, 2024

The proposal drew an immediate response from Ron Onesti, president of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans (JCCIA).

Onesti, in a press release, praised "Alderman Robinson’s intent of honoring a most worthy historic, hometown figure," but questioned "why must it be at the expense of one ethnic group, and why take such a noble effort and attach it to an action offensive to the over 500,000 Americans of Italian descent in and around Chicago."

Onesti then offered several reasonable solutions as to where the new Obama-named street could be instead of erasing the history of Columbus Drive.

"It would be more relevant to rename a portion of South Greenwood Avenue where the Obama residence is, or Stony Island Avenue where the Barack Obama Presidential Library sits," he suggested.

Social media users reacted to Robinson's announcement, with many wondering why the city would make a street renaming a higher priority over tackling the soaring crime and violence plaguing the once beautiful city.

"This is NOT a top priority. Sorry - signed a concerned citizen that can’t ride the CTA without being accosted by cigarette smoke, belligerence and misconduct," one X user wrote.

Another X user wrote, "Real disgusting that you've ignored the pleas of people regarding the absolutely dangerous and historically lethal roads in the Grant Park area in your ward. You could focus on that but instead you're worrying about something that won't save lives. Honoring a war criminal."

Only time will tell if the ordinance passes, but it looks like it won't be without a fight.