City College of San Francisco is backing renaming the street that runs alongside its main campus — Phelan Avenue — after Mexican artist and activist Frida Kahlo.
Community members will gather Friday morning to celebrate the unveiling of Frida Kahlo Way street signs in San Francisco, according to the office of Supervisor Norman Yee.
Frida Kahlo Way is not a new street, rather the new name for Phelan Way, the address of City College of San Francisco.
The street is changing names because James Duval Phelan, who the street was named after, used anti-immigration rhetoric and was a leader in the anti-Japanese movement, according to the University of San Francisco.
Phelan was mayor of San Francisco from 1897 to 1902 and a U.S. Senator from California from 1915-21, USF officials said.
The university last year renamed a residence hall, which was also named for Phelan. The hall is now named Burl A. Toler Hall.
Toler was the captain of the university’s famous 1951 football team and first African-American official in the National Football League.
The change to the street name appears to be part of a growing movement across the U.S. to rename public spaces, buildings and remove statues that have racist associations.
The unveiling will take place at 10 a.m. at the Diego Rivera Theatre on the Ocean campus of City College of San Francisco at 50 Frida Kahlo Way.
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who achieved international popularity and was married to Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, according to Frida Kahlo Foundation.
Last modified December 7, 2018 3:22 am
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