Calhoun Square to lose its name? What to know about latest plans to address controversy

Patt Gunn, Rosalyn Rouse and the Center for Jubilee, Reconciliation & Healing have been trying to change the name of Calhoun Square since December 2020.

They’ve followed the city’s process for renaming a public space by collecting signatures in favor of removing the name of the former vice president and staunch slavery advocate. They hold monthly meetings in the square, complete with music and speakers and visits from city council members.

Read more: Push to erase names of slaveholders from Savannah squares would be first change in a century

Also: Push to erase names of slaveholders from Savannah squares would be first change in a century

They’ve been yelled at by “anti-woke” opponents claiming the group is trying to “erase history,” enduring days, weeks and months of often discouraging work.

And after all of it, on Tuesday at his weekly press conference, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson announced that city council will be taking the issue up. Sort of.

“While we continue to debate and consider what to name or what to rename the square, for me, I think it’s real simple, and one thing is absolutely, universally clear, regardless of what the square is named or renamed: One of our treasured squares should not be named in honor of a man like John C. Calhoun.”

Splitting the bill

City council will split the renaming process into two parts. The removal of Calhoun’s name from the square will be consider during the Oct. 27 meeting. But even should they vote to remove the honor, they won’t decide on a new name just yet.

“This separates the issues, and we might, for quite some time, have an unnamed square formerly known as Calhoun Square,” Johnson said. “Ultimately, it’s an opportunity for this city to have some self-determination in terms of who we want to honor.”

Johnson said the square would remain unnamed until “we can conduct an inclusive and thorough public process to determine what we will ultimately name the square.” He said public hearings for both items would be held, as with most council items.

“I think everyone I’ve spoken to, even those who have different misgivings about what this square should be named all agree that John Calhoun should not be honored with one of our squares,” Johnson said.

Johnson said once the square is renamed, the city will add “interpretive language to describe who John C. Calhoun was, so that future generations will always live this life in context.

“They will always know who John C. Calhoun was, and they will understand why we could not in good conscience allow the square, our square, to retain that name,” Johnson said.

Lanier pushes for action

On Sept. 26, District 1 Alderwoman Bernetta Lanier emailed the entirety of council and City Manager Jay Melder, urging them to place the full renaming on the council agenda for Oct. 13. To get an item on the agenda, it has to be backed by five council members.

“As you all have been made aware, the  Coalition has done tremendous work in researching the historic significance of this City owned property. Calhoun Square has no abutting properties, thus, we are in a very good position having total authority to make the requested name change,” Lanier’s email read.

In Johnson’s reply to the email, he expressed concern for bypassing the renaming process outlined in the city’s charter, and instead proposed splitting the item into two separate issues, keeping the same outcome, but not upending the precedent set in the charter.

“In order to ensure fairness to all of our citizens and consistency in our policies and processes, I can not support that request," Johnson's email reads.

“I have met with Ms. Gunn and the Coalition to Rename Calhoun Square on multiple occasions and they have worked diligently within our processes to achieve the threshold necessary to rename the square.  To this date, according to the rules we set, they have not been successful."

What about Susie King Taylor Square?

Gunn and her group had planned to rename Calhoun to Susie King Taylor Square. Taylor was born to enslaved parents in Midway in 1848, received her education from two secret schools taught by Black women, and went on to be an educator herself.

More: Who was Susie King Taylor?

She served as a reading instructor for the regiment of former slaves. After the war, she moved back to Savannah to open a private school for the children of those freed from slavery. The school ultimately failed due to competition from a public school.

Calhoun, by contracts, has no ties to Savannah, spare the city’s proximity to South Carolina, Calhoun’s home state.

The process to rename a public space is outlined in the city charter, and it’s not a light lift. The city requires at least 51% of the property owners surrounding the square to sign in favor of the name change in order to get a renaming petition before council.

Read more: A group hopes to change the name of Calhoun Square. Here's how that can happen.

That has proved difficult, and the numbers game the Center for Jubilee has been playing comes with opponents. Kathleen Brenneman, a neighbor to the square, has actively campaigned to have neighbors rescind their signatures, going as far as emailing the city the rescinded signatures to ensure Gunn and company remain below the threshold.

Take a look: The power to rename Calhoun Square is currently in the hands of adjacent property owners

Mo: Savannah neighbors rescind support for changing name of Calhoun Square, claiming they were misled

Gunn said her group is glad council took up the mantle, and the Center is still in favor of the name Taylor Square.

“We're so elated about the removal, that's number one. We think that's huge'" Gunn said. "But we want to talk a little further with the city about our application still pending, for the renaming in [Taylor’s] honor, because we'd like to have a two fold to have them removed, and then go right into a vote. But we're still working with the city on on step two.”

Will Peebles is the City Council and County Commission reporter for Savannah Morning News, covering local Savannah and Chatham County decisions. He can be reached at wpeebles@savannahnow.com or on Twitter @willpeeblesSMN

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah council to vote on removal of John Calhoun's name from square