KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City councilwoman and a local entrepreneur announced an urgent push Thursday to rename Troost Avenue to TRUTH Avenue.
Councilwoman Melissa Robinson and entrepreneur Chris Goode, owner of Ruby Jean's Juicery, say the initiative is a critical step in aligning Kansas City's future with the principles of justice, equity and historical progress.
Troost Avenue has long served as a geographical divider in Kansas City, symbolizing racial segregation and systemic inequity.
Benoist Troost, the street's namesake, was a documented slave owner.
The pair say the renaming effort presents an opportunity to dismantle the trauma associated with that legacy, and offer a new narrative rooted in truth and reconciliation.
They advocate for TRUTH Avenue as a "beacon of hope and progress that dismantles the symbolic and literal boundaries of redlining that have unjustly divided our community for decades."
Councilwoman Robinson says the change is important for many reasons.
"As we look to 2025, it is time to remove these symbols from public view and place them in a museum where they belong. I intend to propose legislation for the third time to end the glorification of hate, racism, and oppression that Troost Avenue represents."
Goode adds, "It marks a definitive step toward healing and acknowledges the injustices of our past while setting a bold precedent for our future."
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