The purpose of this petition is to rename a physiographic province in Charleston, South Carolina. June 17th, 2015 nine men and women were murdered during a peaceful and unarmed spiritual service meeting at the Emanuel African Methodist Church. This church has a history of violent and racially motivated attacks, the most recent hate crime has been committed by Dylann Roof, a white supremacist . The Emanuel African Methodist Church has lost its members and spiritual leaders Rev. Daniel L. Simmons, Rev. Depayne Middleton-Doctor, Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton and Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who was a leader in the Senate of South Carolina. Members Twyzana Sanders, Ethel Lee Lance, Cynthia Hurd and Susie Jackson, who was the eldest member of the church. The church is located on Calhoun Street named after former Senator, Vice President, Secretary of State, and Secretary of War John C. Calhoun, who, in his day, served as the leading theorist and politician of the white supremacist movement in American politics. I petition this street to be named after the church's respected title, "Emanuel" street . I believe that in order to move forward and develop change we must change the land in which we walk on. African Americans travel the roads in which are named after Confederate generals as well as hanging the Confederate Flag in the state of South Carolina, which is not only racial harassment but a constant reminder that these roads are not equal, are not just and are not ours collectively. The key to eliminating hate is to eliminate segregation of the heart and mind. In order to move forward we must create a change in the spectrum of time instead of living in the constant history of our country. The laws of attraction are applicable to this subject matter. Naming the street after a church, who has been the mother of AME churches in the south, housed spiritual leaders and acceptors of all races and backgrounds including our President Barack Obama, it will bring refreshment to its community.
