In Memphis, It’s now “Forest Avenue” instead of “Forrest Avenue”

Memphis renames street amid concerns it honored KKK leader

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There will be ONE "R" in on the name of this sign from now on. City officials voted to adjust the spelling to allay concerns that the street name honored a Confederate general. (Screencap/Google Maps)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis officials have settled on a simple solution for a Confederate street name challenge: removing a single letter.

News outlets report that about 30 signs were changed Monday from Forrest Avenue to Forest Avenue, dropping one “r” from the spelling. Residents were concerned the initial street name honored the Confederate general and Ku Klux Klan leader Nathan Bedford Forrest.

In April, Memphis officials approved an action to rename the street, which spans several miles through the city.

Research by the Office of Planning & Development found that the street was originally spelled Forest in the early 1900s, but Forrest later started appearing on signs and in directories.

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