The African American Leadership Project expresses its strong disagreement with the proposed changes in the name of the “Ernest N. Morial Convention Center-New Orleans” to the “New Orleans Morial Convention Center” and requests a legislative investigation into the rationale and process that led to this unnecessary and unfortunate decision. While it is not clear whether the proposed changes are administrative conclusions of the staff and consultants, or whether they represent formal and legal Board policy, the proposed changes diminish the importance of New Orleans’ first Black Mayor, Ernest Dutch Morial. Thirty years ago on May 1, 1978, “Dutch” made history by being inaugurated as the first Black mayor of the city of New Orleans, and thus modernized and democratized the politics of the city. The AALP annually recognizes this historical event with a series of public events around the city. The preservation of this legacy is an important historical responsibility of the AALP and all citizens who respect democracy and inclusiveness in our city.

It is our view that publicly re-positioning the Morial name for marketing purpose de-emphasizes his legacy and his role in securing the convention center. Reducing the visibility of the Morial name in the logo is another significant change that potentially robs all Orleanians of their history. The intent to retain the legislatively mandated name “Ernest N. Morial Convention Center-New Orleans “ in legal transactions read by lawyers and bureaucrats in no way compensates for the historical damages the proposed marketing changes would imply. We regard the proposed changes as especially insulting to the voters and people of all races who supported the election of Dutch and those who may have supported others while recognizing the historical importance of his election. At a time when many Black New Orleanians feel themselves under attack and often unwelcome, the proposed name changes sends yet another message that African descended peoples in New Orleans are unwelcome. We especially find these proposed name changes reprehensible when our country is searching for a path to racial dialogue and conversation and as the 30th anniversary of the Morial inauguration approaches.

Proposals of this type only further suspicion and hostility, and make honest multiracial dialogue difficult.

There is no sound economic logic that would suggest that the Morial name is an impediment to future business, or that it distracts from, or is a negative factor in attracting conventions to our city. Other cities whose convention centers are named after individual of significance such as the George R. Brown in Houston, the Jacob Javits in New York, the Hynes in Boston, the Staples in Los Angeles, the Lawrence in Pittsburgh and the Moscone in San Francisco appear to be doing well without diminishing the individuals that give character and identity to their convention centers. They remain competitive because of what the convention center and city have to offer, rather than a re-branding to change an image.

In 2007, Washington D.C renamed its Convention center in honor of its first Black mayor Walter E. Washington. Perhaps there is something to be learned from the nation’s capital. We welcome all visitors and the tourist industry as a vital part of our community; however, we object in the strongest terms to the apparent dismantling of historically important symbols of Black achievement. We all want our city to grow, and we want the convention center to succeed; however that cannot be accomplished by actions which further the impression that post-Katrina New Orleans is hostile to its Black citizens. The proposed change will only hurt the recovery rather than help it by conveying the impression once again that some leaders in New Orleans are racially and culturally insensitive.

Certainly there are far more critical issues confronting our city than changing the name of the convention center. What is next? Will we delete “Louis Armstrong” from the name of the New Orleans International Airport, "Mahalia Jackson" from the Center for the Performing Arts or "Morris F.X. Jeff Sr." from the Municipal Auditorium? Let’s hope not.

We call on righteous citizens of all races to join us in opposition to this unnecessary proposal as inimical to the public interest.

We further invite citizens to join us in the following actions:

We respectfully demand that the Exhibition Authority reverse this decision at once.

If it chooses not to do so, then we request that the state Legislature conduct a thorough investigation of the rationale and process that led to the proposed name changes and explore the legal ramifications of the actions of the Exhibition Authority.

If either of these two actions do not lead to a reversal, then we call on citizens who believe in democracy and inclusiveness to join us in support of the following further actions:

1. Request that the Essence Festival consider holding its empowerment seminars in the streets of New Orleans, and at local churches, universities and community centers in protest of the proposed name change.

2. Initiate a national campaign to inform the convention-going public that the Exhibition Authority is insensitive to African-American history and unwelcoming to the Black experience in New Orleans.

3. Request that the Mayor and City Council oppose the proposed change as unwarranted, unnecessary and uncalled for.

4. Request that workers in the hospitality industry express their disagreement to the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

5. Request that all ethnic media take an editorial stand against the proposed name change.

6. Request that National Civil Rights organizations oppose the proposed change, such as the NAACP, SCLC, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, National Urban League, National Action Network, National Coalition for Black Civic Participation, Black Leadership Forum, National Forum of Black Public Administrators, the National Conference of Black Mayors and the Leadership Committee for Civil Rights and others.

7. Request that National Civil society organizations such as the National Council of Churches. National Unions and social justice/advocacy networks be informed of the EA’s proposal and asked to oppose it. Additionally, local churches, synagogues, mosques, neighborhood organizations, social aid and pleasure clubs and other groups should be informed similarly.

The AALP is a five-year-old nonpartisan network of African-American community, business and religious leaders and organi-zations focused on agenda building, policy analysis, advocacy, strategic dialogue and consensus building. It functions as an action-oriented think tank representing the interests of the most marginalized sectors of the New Orleans community.

For more information, please visit us on the web at www.AALP.org