Hundreds rally against changing part of Nashville's John Lewis Way to Donald Trump Boulevard

Roughly 200-300 people attended a rally Saturday to protest a state bill that proposes to rename a portion of Rep. John Lewis Way in Nashville after former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Hume-Fogg High School senior Safiyah Suara, the daughter of at-large Metro Council member Zulfat Suara, organized the rally at the Metro Historic Courthouse Plaza, drawing all ages including a number of students and a mix of ethnic backgrounds.

“I have such a passion as an advocate not only for John Lewis, but everything that he represented as well when it comes to the environment and people and for folks that haven’t been invested in as much,” said Davidson Academy junior Adrienne Gott, who read a poem as one of several speakers at the rally.

Albert Thompkins, junior at Fisk University where Lewis attended quoted Lewis in his address: "Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble,” Thompkins said.

“This feels as if it was a push and attempt to erase part of Black history that is important to us," he said.

Rep. Paul Sherrell, R-Sparta, and Sen. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, introduced the bill to rename parts of the street to President Donald Trump Boulevard. The bill seeks to rename the portion of the roadway between Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Boulevard and James Robertson Parkway.

“Stay in your lanes” and “this is not your city,” was part of a recorded poem that Safiyah Suara played for the crowd. The poem was written for the rally by Alora Young, who Safiyah said was unable to attend the rally.

"No Trump Blvd.," and "Hands Off Nashville" and "Save John Lewis Way" were among signs displayed at the rally.

“You would give a man in a place he isn’t wanted an honor he hasn’t earned,” Safiyah also recited from the poem.

Lewis was known as a civil rights trailblazer, who led lunch counter sit-ins in Nashville and was one of the original Freedom Riders, who went on to be a Democratic member of Congress from Georgia. Lewis attended what's now American Baptist College and Fisk in Nashville. Lewis died July 17, 2020.

“I think the state is trying to demean and diminish a Tennessee hero, John Lewis," said Larry Woods, 78, a TSU professor and attorney, who remembers witnessing conflicts during the civil rights movement in Nashville as a youth.

Renaming a portion of Fifth Avenue after Lewis was approved by the Metro Council in November 2020.

Zulfat Suara chaired the Rep. John Lewis Way committee ahead of the Metro Council's approval to rename the stretch after the civil rights leader.

“John Lewis was so important to Nashville,” State Rep. Brenda Gilmore, D-Nashville said. “He actually marched on Fifth Avenue North, that’s the significance of that street. I’m not sure the Republicans realize the significance of that street.

“I don’t really have anything negative to say about President Donald Trump other than he just doesn’t have any connection to Nashville.”

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville protest: Donald Trump Boulevard would dishonor John Lewis