Ariel Fernandez
Founder & Editor
[email protected]
At the Tuesday, May 25th, City Commission meeting, the Coral Gables Commission will once again take up a resolution to rename US1, also known as Dixie Highway, as Harriet Tubman Highway.
The measure first came before the Commission at the January 26th Commission meeting and was voted down by a 2-3 vote. The new resolution is being sponsored by Mayor Vince Lago and Commissioner Rhonda Anderson.
As stated in the City’s cover memo for the resolution, “On February 19, 2020, the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution No. R-168-20, designating the portions of Old Dixie Highway and West Dixie Highway that encompass Miami-Dade County roadways, urging the Florida Legislature to rename the portions of the roadway that are state-controlled, and urging municipalities, including the City of Coral Gables, to join in the designation of the portions of U.S. Route 1 that fall within their boundaries. The portions of West Dixie Highway/State Road 909 and South Dixie Highway/U.S. Route l/State Road 5 that are state roads must be renamed by an act of the Florida Legislature. However, state roads can also receive an honorary designation by following the process set forth in Section 334.071, Florida Statutes. An honorary designation of a state road is contingent upon the appropriate city or county commission passing a resolution in support of the particular honorary designation. If a road is located in more than one city or county (as is the present case), resolutions supporting the designation must be passed by each affected local government prior to the erection of signage. As of January 14, 2021, nine out of ten of the municipalities affected by the County’s resolution passed resolutions in support of the Harriet Tubman designation, including Florida City, the Town of Cutler Bay, the City of Miami, the City of South Miami, the City of North Miami, the Village of Pinecrest, the City if North Miami Beach, the Village of Palmetto Bay, and the City of Homestead.”
The memo continues: “Under its present moniker, Dixie represents a troubling time in our nation’ s past, marred by the inhumane celebration and unconscionable profit of the perils of racism, segregation, and the atrocities of slavery. It is unquestionable that “Dixie’ s” toxic history runs deeply through the veins of this country, as its racist roots date back to the 19th century and the deplorable comedic movement of blackface minstrels and would become the rallying cry and unofficial anthem of the Confederacy during the Civil War as they fought to uphold the institution of slavery.It is only fitting that Dixie’s current nomenclature be replaced by the matchless legacy of a warrior whose heroic and selfless fight for freedom and justice served Miami-Dade County, the state of Florida, the nation, and has undoubtedly had a significant impact on the City of Coral Gables.”
Tubman was an abolitionist who fought to ensure others found their way to freedom from slavery. Born enslaved in the 19th century Maryland, she was determined to find freedom and end slavery for all. Tubman created the underground railroad, a network of abolitionist homes used to house slaves on their way to freedom. Her plight for change did not stop at ending slavery, Tubman worked as a nurse during the Civil war and lead an armed assault for the Union. She was also a women’s suffragist, fighting to ensure women received the right to vote.
“In recognition of her immeasurable contributions to the fabric of this nation, the City Commission would like to honor the memory, legacy, and tenacity of Ms. Harriet Ross Tubman, who died on March 10, 1913, as well as take a stance on the necessary eradication of the lingering markers within our county and state which continue to celebrate a painful history of slavery and systemic racism, including Old Dixie Highway, West Dixie Highway, and South Dixie Highway,” concludes the memo.
This is ridiculous… The only acceptable name change is to US1 or leave it alone. No disrespect to memory of Harriet Tubman, but it should not be changed to anyone’s name… Especially if it’s not a local. It will open up a can of worms to continue focusing on issues that divide. There are other infrastructure issues that should take priority over this BS!
What a sad time our Country is going thru, thanks to the lack of true leadership from our elected officials, who are lacking the integrity to stand up to the demands of the woke gang. A Country without history, is a Country without a future. We have had our police chief kneel to please the demands of those who will not stop asking for more nonsense. I admire the African American police officer of another state who refused to kneel, saying he only kneels in reverence to God.
This beautiful and proud Country is being destroyed one inch at a time. Abraham Lincoln, was prophetic when he said “That if harm was ever to come to this Country, it will not come from without, it will come from within”
Stop creating a bigger divide and let Old Dixie Highway alone.
But it isn’t Harriet Tubman Highway! Wrong states. Stop! it is U.S. 1 or South Dixie Highway. If you feel some idiotic compulsion to rename a small stretch of US 1, name it after a local hero. Better yet, leave it alone and connect the sidewalks that are crumbling and decaying in the Riviera Blue are where we can’t find a single block that has a continuous sidewalk and we have to dive into the grass on Blue road where people reach speeds of 50 m.p.h. after the ugly red flashing light that should her a beautiful round-about. We have swales that you could build barns on, but no sidewalks. Just ridiculous. Why are you even concerned about renaming US1? Why give the Woke culture an inch. They are never satisfied once you start. If Harriet Tubman was a local I could understand it. But it makes 0.0 sense.
Lago is imitating Maria Elvira Salazar been in the wrong side, and as for Miss Anderson she always be in the wrong side, we known that she has her own “agenda”. It looks that they will be only one term! Please, don’t be afraid that Coral Gables is different than the “others” municipalities. It residents love and pay that difference!
US1 is and should be
US1 is and should be the name!!!!!!!!!!!!
We should rename Dixie Highway to Merrick Highway. Otherwise stop changing Names! Lago and Anderson Focus on the real issues- not name changing mania So woke!!! Stop the madness!
You can’t give in to the woke mob. Never give an inch. Bad move .
Let’s change the name to Everything White is Bad HWY. How much more ridiculous can things get? It doesn’t matter what you change it to, it will always be known as DIXIE HWY! Just like it doesnt matter what the football stadium is called, it will ALWAYS be Joe Robbie. Tennis will always be the Lipton and the baseball stadium will always be The Orange Bowl. It’s time to cancel Cancel Culture!
I’m 100% against it. Ridiculous!
Well. That was fast…. FOCUS ON REAL ISSUES!
Well, if we are going to make the “right” change in name, shouldn’t it be called “The We Stole it From the Natives Highway”? Or, “Slaughtered Native Highway”? How long do we need to go back to straighten things out? Is Europe renaming everything to remove those nasty Roman invader names?
Ridiculous!
Dixie comes natural to us since we have live with the name for the past sixty years.
After all we like song Dixie Land
I wish I was in Dixie Land
Horay horay. Etc
I decided on an impromptu survey – all Spanish speaking long time Coral Gables residents – and not one of them referred to the road as Dixie Highway. It is US1 coming all the way from Fort Kent, Maine to Key West FL. It is a link to the rest of the cities on the East Coast and known to all by US1. Focus your energy on agendas that concern the City now. Changing the name of one road will NOT erase the whole tragedy of the past. Government for the present and improvement for the future is what we need.
US 1 is 2,369 miles long. It runs from Key West to Fort Kent, Maine which is on the Canadian border. It is the longest North-South road in the US. (U.S. 1 – Wikipedia). As such, it is a testimony to our great civil society and the embodiment of our one nation indivisible. It ties together 14 states and our capital, Washington DC, in peace and harmony. How about naming it something neutral that celebrates the unique nature of the road, like “America’s Highway”, instead of giving it a name that will continue to foment division.
(By the way, the 14 states are Florida, Georgia, South and North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. Isn’t that quite an accomplishment?)
We should NOT go the direction of the “woke folk” and start renaming streets, tearing down monuments and bowing to marxist groups’ pressures to erase/rewrite history and succomb to their divisionary practices such as critical race theory. What’s next? calls to defund our brave police force, with violent protests in our streets? ! Stop the madness before it escalates and becomes another Portland. If this is how our elected Gables.officials intend to govern, We the People need to.remove/replace them.
Oh my goodness!!! The woke-folk must not know that brave, valiant Harriet Tubman was a REPUBLICAN!!! (LOL) 😂 🤣
Lago and Anderson will be a one termers if this happens. Why not rename Coral Gables to Harriet Tubman City since Merrick was such a racist?
Let’s rename it Merrick Highwa–wait. . . he got cancelled too. . . what’s next Winn-Dixie?
As grandpa Joe would say: Come on, man!
I totally disagree with any such change. What is our country becoming. Giving in to the woke radical left and forgetting our history is inexcusable. Those who forget our past are condemned to repeat it. This is a waste of time and money. It will always be US 1 or South Dixie Highway to me.
Bravo Vince Lago! It was so sad to see Coral Gables as the only municipality to oppose this worthwhile change.
My God you people have really lost your north. Seem this is the biggest thing on your agenda. The more you promote racial matters the worst it will get.The Dixie sign is in great shape compared to the rest in the city maybe you want to take the opportunity and paint them black.
This is just wrong. Wokeness is a disease and this silliness has to stop. You cannot erase history or be doomed to repeat it. Honor Tubman in a different manner if you desire, but leave ‘South Dixie Highway’ alone.
And, do treat ALL people with respect and dignity and love….
And don’t forget about the use of Dixie cups!
sarc/
First revisionist act was removing Geo. Merrick’s name from UM. Now this folly.
Rename all you want; folks will still call it by its real name: Dixie Highway.
Do not the local pols have any better things to occupy their time?
Re-naming a road to eliminate the “Dixie” moniker, which is a reference to the Democrat party, AKA the “Dixiecrats” is a win!
However, I would ask why Coral Gables isn’t nominating the name to honor a LOCAL person deserving of such a memorial? After all, it’s our road. I do not support doing “what we are urged to do” by non Gables residents.
Harriet Tubman was definitely a gun toting REPUBLICAN, so she is a supportable nominee. I would also support naming it PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HIGHWAY.
And…cancel culture in the Gables is not limited to UM. Any historians out there will enlighten our woke commissioners as to the origins of the name, namesake Mason-Dixon Line.
Although, it’s probably more fitting to accord Wawa naming rights: the Wawa Railroad!
I am against the renaming of South Dixie Highway and I regret voting for the woke mayor Vince Lago
There are so many pressing issues in Coral Gables and you are spending time on this? US1 is US1 through the State. That is what it should remain. If you want to honor someone, use a street that is local. It has the appearance of pandering.
It seems that our Commissioners want to go the route of UM, going politically correct, and changing names of our infrastructure. Changing the name of US 1 will do nothing to change how people think. It will be another waste of taxpayer money to replace all the street signs, plus asking businesses to change their letterheads, brochures, business cards, etc. All done, so that the Commissioners can look as doing something, when in really they will be spending our money and business money in something that will have zero impact on how people think.
Perhaps this would be a great opportunity to repaint all the weird little street signs in Coral Gables
As a resident of Coral Gables, I truly hope that our city commissioners follow the leadership shown by the commissioners of the other nine municipalities and vote to rename Dixie Highway.
I really hope this happens!
I commend Mayor Lago and Commissioner Anderson for introducing this resolution. The words are really thoughtful.
I 100% support this change. The symbols we choose to highlight in public spaces, like a major highway, tell the members of our community who is valued and who is not. “Dixie” is a reminder of Miami’s Jim Crow era that needs to go. This racist history won’t be erased by a highway name change, but at least it’ll no longer be celebrated.
Lago sold himself out to cancel culture society