Posted on Jul 4, 2022
Truth not Troost: A new effort seeks to rename Kansas City corridor over slavery ties
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Chris Goode has launched a petition demanding the city change Troost Avenue — named after Dr. Benoist Troost, who owned six enslaved men and women.
Despite its widely-known street name, “Troost Avenue” does not accurately represent the small businesses, nonprofits and families along the increasingly dense Kansas City corridor, said Chris Goode.
“So many beautiful efforts take place on Troost — from The Combine to Operation Breakthrough or Urban Cafe and Rockhurst University… We are all collectively pushing for community, yet the name ‘Troost’ reflects hatred. It makes zero sense in my mind why we keep going with the way things are,” said Goode, the founder and owner of Ruby Jean’s Juicery at 3000 Troost.
Dr. Benoist Troost, for whom Troost Avenue was named, came to Kansas City in about 1847 and worked as the city’s first resident physician. An 1850 Federal Census Slave Schedule record revealed that Troost owned six enslaved men and women.
Despite its widely-known street name, “Troost Avenue” does not accurately represent the small businesses, nonprofits and families along the increasingly dense Kansas City corridor, said Chris Goode.
“So many beautiful efforts take place on Troost — from The Combine to Operation Breakthrough or Urban Cafe and Rockhurst University… We are all collectively pushing for community, yet the name ‘Troost’ reflects hatred. It makes zero sense in my mind why we keep going with the way things are,” said Goode, the founder and owner of Ruby Jean’s Juicery at 3000 Troost.
Dr. Benoist Troost, for whom Troost Avenue was named, came to Kansas City in about 1847 and worked as the city’s first resident physician. An 1850 Federal Census Slave Schedule record revealed that Troost owned six enslaved men and women.
Truth not Troost: A new effort seeks to rename Kansas City corridor over slavery ties
Posted from kcur.org
Kansas City
Slavery
American History
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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This kind of thing could go on ad nauseam in my opinion...never-ending. If ties to slavery are the criteria then it would seem that the Democratic Party should be seeking a new name for itself. I'm not casting aspersions on ANY party but I'm wondering if the names that would be chosen to replace the targeted ones would set off a new social and political firestorm by being agenda driven by any party. I, myself, strongly condemn any form of slavery or indentured servitude but sadly in its many insidious forms the two still exist in parts of the world and ...though both practices are despicable...I unhappily cannot see them being fully erased in the foreseeable future, try as we may.
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I have a hard time getting into movements like this. Heck, George Washington owned slaves, should we petition to rename everything named Washington?
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Worthy of Debate! Time Will Tell! Society, Cultures, Values Change. "Perspective" can be a "Bitch" Sometimes.
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LTC Eugene Chu
It depends on circumstances. We are not renaming everything that honors George Washington, but Mount Vernon explicitly mentions that he was a slaveowner and people under him were considered property at the time.
https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/slavery/
https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/slavery/
George Washington's home was also the home of hundreds of enslaved men, women, and children. The Washingtons depended on enslaved labor to build and maintain their household and plantation. These people, in turn, found ways to survive in a world that denied their freedom.
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My belief is that the name "Troost Avenue" does not reflect hatred but instead reflects a legal contemporary societal callousness...one did not have to hate the slaves in order to own them (UGH!).
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