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Protesters want Hollywood to change street names honoring Confederate generals

Posted at 8:57 AM, Jun 21, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-21 08:59:38-04

As cities across the country have begun to remove statues and other items honoring Confederate generals from the Civil War area, protesters want one South Florida city to do the same.

RELATED: Amid public outcry, Orlando moves Confederate statute known as 'Johnny Reb'

Several groups are asking for three streets signs in the city of Hollywood – Lee, Hood and Forrest Streets – to be renamed. All three are named for those who fought for the states that seceded from the USA during the 1860s.

Members of those groups wanting the change – including Take Down Slavery Symbols Hollywood and the Black Lives Matter Alliance Broward, will protest on the streets starting at 12 p.m. before attending the city commission meeting at 1:30 p.m. and speaking during public comment period at 5 p.m.

Various efforts have been made in the past to change the names, honoring Robert E. Lee, John Bell Hood and Nathan Bedford Forrest – who was also the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.
 
Several cities, including Orlando and New Orleans, have taken down statues in recent weeks commemorating the Confederacy after heated debate from both sides of the issue.

Story from our news partner NBCMiami