More on Forrest Park
Last night, the Memphis City Council held a committee meeting to decide whether to add Ida B. Wells’ name to Forrest Park. The park is named after the famous Civil War general, Nathan Bedford Forrest. Recently, the Sons of Confederate Veterans placed a large granite marker at the park, but city officials took the liberty of removing it over Christmas. Since then, the issue has become a hot topic.
City council member Myron Lowry suggested adding Wells’ name, but he was not in attendance at last night’s meeting. One city council member, however, didn’t hesitate to voice her opinion. Janis Fullilove got so riled up that she burst into tears and left the meeting.
“I can’t justify that he (Forrest) loved black people,” she told a reporter. “If I kill your mama, do I love you? If I kill your daddy, do I love you?”
Really, Ms. Fullilove? Apparently she is misinformed about General Forrest by thinking that he started the Ku Klux Klan. Lee Millar of the SCV stated as much.
“Her behavior was unfortunate,” he said. “She should listen to what people have to say.”
Fullilove has been arrested on numerous occasions for drunk driving, and still, she maintains her position on the city council. She disrupted the hearing by making faces throughout. Regardless of her absurd behavior, no resolution was agreed upon about renaming the park. City Council member Bill Boyd said that he thinks Ida B. Wells, who was a civil rights activist, should get her own park, and that the marker for Forrest Park should be replaced.
