JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A bill was submitted to city council to rename Confederate Street in Springfield after Jacksonville civil rights activist Ben Frazier.
The bill, submitted by Councilman Jimmy Peluso, would rename Confederate Street to "Frazier Place."
The road spans one block and runs between Market Street and Liberty Street.
The bill would waive the requirement that the honoree be deceased for at least five years. Ben Frazier passed away in June at 73 years old.
"The Council desires to recognize the extensive accomplishments and contributions [Frazier] made to the city of Jacksonville and beyond within a more timely manner after his passing," the bill reads.
Ben Frazier formed the Northside Coalition in 2016 and was an outspoken advocate for civil rights. He often championed for improved police practices and policies that prioritized the well-being of Black citizens.
In December 2022, he was arrested at a City Council meeting after he refused to stop speaking during a public comment portion of the meeting. He was also arrested while attempting to attend one of Gov. DeSantis' news conferences held in a state building. Both charges were later dropped.
"He's dad, he's always dad first and that was definitely scary, my dad was going through health concerns, he's a lot older, jail was the last place I wanted to see him for anything," said Kelly Frazier, Ben Frazier's daughter and current President of the Northside Coalition. "I realized he was standing for something he believed in, so that was good enough for me."
Frazier traveled to Geneva last year to address the United Nations Committee to Eliminate Racial Discrimination. During his visit, he spoke out against Gov. Ron DeSantis' controversial "anti-riot" law.
"He was more than just a voice, he actually did and stood up for what he said he was standing up for," said Kelly Frazier. "I'm honored, I know my father would be."
He went public with his diagnosis of Non Hodgkin’s lymphoma in October 2022. His daughter said renaming the street would be appropriate for him.
"It's a step in the right direction, getting rid of anything negative of the past that we don't need to see in public places, things that my dad stood for," said Kelly Frazier. "That's a perfect street to be renamed Frazier Place in honor of my dad."
