NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — There have been two times Metro Councilwoman Zulfat Suara has stood on what used to be called 5th Avenue in Nashville and felt like her words just weren't enough.
There was July 2021, when the city officially dedicated the road after Civil Rights Pioneer Rep. John Lewis, who spent his college years at American Baptist College and Fisk University.
"We want the world to know he got his start here," said Suara during the 2021 ceremony. "And will now be henceforth known as Rep. John Lewis Way."
Then there was the day when Zulfat learned there was an effort to rename a portion of the street after former President Donald Trump.
"I think it’s spiteful. It is intentional," said Suara.
Rep. Paul Sherrell, R-Sparta,sponsored the billthat would rename a quarter-mile stretch of the street that includes the Cordell Hull legislative office building after the 45th President.
His only connection to the road that NewsChannel 5 can determine was a 2017 address at Municipal Auditorium, just a few months after he was elected to the Presidency.
"And we will make America Great Again," President Trump said during the rally.
"It’s all uncalled for, all because some of them don’t want a street named after a black man on their business address. Is this where we are?" said Councilwoman Suara. "And to do it in Black History Month is just horrible."
But the bill could have unintended consequences in other parts of Davidson County.
In Tennessee, there's a law against renaming streets that are already named for historical figures.
So Rep. Sherrell's law would no longer protect streets named after historic figures through the Tennessee Historical Commission. That opens the door for communities like Forest Hills, who could finally rename streets named after Confederate figures like Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis.
"Jefferson Davis has nothing to do with the state of Tennessee," said Jeanne LaRose, who lives near the streets.
Forest Hills aside, Councilwoman Suara still wants to fight the bill because speaking out, in her estimation, is the John Lewis way.
"Lewis and his folks were not able to sit at the lunch counter sit-ins. They fought so that my daughter would not have to face this kind of thing. And for somebody to say a black man cannot be named on the street. It’s exactly what we fought for. And we’re right back here," said Suara. "We are going to have a press conference, we’re going to march, whatever we need to do."
Sen. Frank Nicely, R-Strawberry Plains, declined to comment on the story. While he is the sponsor of the bill in the Senate, he referred us to Rep. Sherrell who authored the bill.
Sherrell did not respond to our request for comment.
