Petition to change the name of Exeter’s street Blackboy Road
Since the death of African American George Floyd on the 25th of May the BLM movement (Black Lives Matter) and associated movements worldwide have marched against racism and made broad calls for change. This has led to a petition online lobbying Exeter city council to rename ‘Blackboy Road’ with over 2800 signatures.
‘Tom Feest’ who began the petition deems the name ‘ignorant and racist’. It is claimed to be named after King Charles II who had a darker complexion and garnered the name ‘Blackboy’.
“It’s 2020 and we still have a road named after a racist nickname given to one of our monarchs”.
Tom Feest
This proceeds from the statue of Edward Colston that was removed by BLM protestors in Bristol and a number of petitions across the country to remove other statues like ‘Cecil Rhodes’ and ‘Francis Drake’.
In response to the petition, a counter petition has been organised to keep the current name.
Editor: Elen Johnston
