Aldermen plan to call for Congress Parkway downtown to be renamed in honor of crusading African-American journalist and anti-lynching activist Ida B. Wells-Barnett, in a move to try to prevent an election-season clash with Italian-American Chicagoans.
Previously, some aldermen had wanted to rename Balbo Drive downtown for Wells-Barnett. But some Italian-American groups opposed taking the honor away from Italo Balbo, a pilot who flew from Rome to Chicago in 1933 for the Century of Progress Exposition and who was an ally of Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini. They say the flying feat should be considered separately from his association with the dictator.
Now, Wells-Barnett supporters on Wednesday will introduce a compromise proposal to the City Council to change the name of Congress. The parkway runs west from near Grant Park downtown to connect with the expressways at the Byrne Interchange.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel notably had not endorsed the plan to take the name from Balbo, saying only that he understands the “spirit and energy” behind the ordinance and wants the city to recognize Wells-Barnett. A spokesman for the mayor did not respond to questions about whether he endorses the Congress compromise.
Aldermen likely would get their say on the proposal next month. Renaming a Chicago street is rare, and the push to officially rename Congress for Wells-Barnett is different from the many honorary street designations found across the city.
Congress emerged as a likely compromise because of its prominent downtown location and the fact few businesses on the street will need to pay to change their stationery and advertisements. Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, said Congress has just five addresses.
Ald. Sophia King, a sponsor of the move to honor Wells-Barnett, said Congress is an appropriately prominent street to do that. Wells-Barnett is known for crusading against the lynching of black men, pushing for women’s right to vote and starting numerous organizations to help African-Americans gain economic and political power in Chicago and the country. She created the first kindergarten for black children and worked to get Chicago’s first black alderman elected.
“It’s definitely a bigger street (than Balbo), and I think it’s a street that recognizes the great accomplishments that a woman like Ida B. Wells deserves,” King, 4th, said. “I think it’s an appropriate street; it’s a very large street that goes down the middle of the city.”
But she also believes Balbo’s fascist ties should not be overlooked. Asked whether Balbo should continue to have a street named after him, she said, “I think that’s a conversation that we want to revisit, and we want to separate the issues.”
And Reilly said Chicago’s rich Italian history offers “a wealth” of opportunities to honor Italians who don’t have fascist links. He mentioned nuclear physicist Enrico Fermi or St. Frances Cabrini, who ministered to Chicago’s Italian immigrant population, as potential candidates to take over the Balbo Drive street name.
“We’d like to work with the Italian-American community moving forward on the future of Balbo, but certainly no one wants to confiscate an important name to the Italian-American community in Chicago without really talking it through and having buy-in from the community that’s most directly impacted,” Reilly said.
The newly renamed street could cause potential confusion because it intersects with Chicago’s existing Wells Street. Reilly said he’s confident that can be mitigated, perhaps by spelling out the full name “Ida B. Wells” on the east-west thoroughfare’s signs.
Meanwhile, leaving Balbo Drive in place likely avoids an election-season fight.
“We’d like to honor Ida B. Wells without controversy, because she deserves it, and her legacy deserves it,” Reilly said.
Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans President Enza Raineri said last week that the organization wants to see Wells-Barnett “honored in a grand way.” But she said taking the street name away from Balbo isn’t the way to do it.
“History is history, and we need to learn from it,” Raineri said. “And Chicago has a special part in history because of that flight.”
On Tuesday, Raineri said she was “absolutely thrilled” about the plan to rename Congress for Wells-Barnett, but she didn’t answer directly about whether her group would consider supporting the renaming of Balbo Drive for another Italian-American.
“Right now, I think we should just be thrilled Ida B. Wells is getting this honor,” Raineri said.
King said last week that the upcoming city elections could be making officials leery of taking up the contentious issue.
“I think that probably plays a part,” she said.
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