Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Street Renaming topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
College Park residents ask Raleigh to rename Hill Street for Jesse White
Summary
Multiple College Park residents and local clergy asked the Raleigh City Council during public comment to approve an application to rename a portion of Hill Street to Jesse White Street, citing a century of family residence and community service.
Octavia Rainey, a College Park resident, asked the Raleigh City council during public comment to rename the portion of Hill Street at Newman (Newbern) Avenue to Jesse White Street, saying the White family has lived on the block for 100 years and that the change would honor their legacy.
The request drew several speakers representing the White family and the College Park neighborhood. Sylvester A. White Jr., who said his grandfather Jesse and grandmother Lily White established their home on Hill Street in 1925, described the proposed renaming as “an honor to the community” and said the family has remained in the neighborhood through economic ups and downs. Florence White Gilliard and Nicole White also spoke in support, underscoring multi‑generational ownership and continuous residence.
Advocates framed the proposal as a local recognition of community investment. Jared Allison and Representative Dan Blue also spoke in support, with Blue saying he has represented members of the White family for decades and called the renaming “fitting” given the family’s contributions to the neighborhood.
No council action or vote took place during the public comment period. Speakers asked the council to support the application as it proceeds through the formal street‑renaming process.
The request covers a specific stretch of Hill Street within College Park; proponents asked the council to limit the change to the Newbern Avenue segment, not to other Hill Street locations in the city.
