UMass Medical School wants ‘Plantation’ removed from Worcester street names
In the petition, Che Anderson, vice chancellor for city and community relations, wrote that the word plantation “connotes oppression” and recalls “the painful history of slavery in America.”
The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester is petitioning the City Council to rename three streets it claims act as a reminder of the nation’s history of slavery. The school is requesting the city change the name of Plantation Street, which runs along the campus, as well as Plantation Parkway and Plantation Terrace to the campus’s north and south, respectively.
In the petition, Che Anderson, vice chancellor for city and community relations, wrote that the word plantation “connotes oppression” and recalls “the painful history of slavery in America.” Anderson added that UMass “would hope to participate in a larger community conversation regarding the appropriate course of action to find a more appropriate name.” The Worcester City Council is expected to hear the petition at its weekly meeting Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. From there, it will be referred to the Public Works Committee, which oversees local infrastructure related to streets and public buildings.
Plantation Street, the first road built on the Quinsigamond Plantation, was established before 1722, according to an account of local history by the City of Worcester. Before the street was named, locals called it “Love Lane.” In February, UMass Chan added diversity, equity, and inclusion as a pillar of its IMPACT 2025 strategic plan.
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