Do you support the renaming of Dudley Square to Nubian Square?

A citizen petition entitled “Petition for Renaming Dudley Square to Nubian Square” was sponsored by 10 registered voters and referred to the Committee on Government Operations on February 6, 2019.

The Committee on Government Operations held a hearing on August 28, 2019 where public comment was taken.

This week, the Council voted to approve the citizen petition for a non-binding ballot question to appear on the November 5 municipal election ballot asking Boston voters if they support renaming Dudley Square as Nubian Square.

Councilor Janey, district City Councilor of Roxbury said, “I believe strongly that the residents of Roxbury deserve the opportunity to determine for themselves what they would like to be called. This ballot question will give them the opportunity to do just that.”

Dudley Square currently memorializes former Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor Thomas Dudley. Proponents of the petition state that Governor Dudley presided over the passage of laws that permitted slavery, and the Dudley family later enabled the slave trade. The name Nubian Square would recognize the area as a hub of the African American community and pay tribute to a former anchor business in the area, A Nubian Notion gift shop.