Minneapolis' West Calhoun neighborhood considers name change

Minneapolis is considering changing the name of its West Calhoun neighborhood to West Maka Ska as a nod to the area's Dakota heritage.

A City Council committee gave its approval Thursday afternoon.

The proposal is expected to head to the full council and Mayor Jacob Frey next week.

If approved, the change would be consistent with a recent trend of renaming places that carry the name of John C. Calhoun, a 19th-century politician who was an ardent supporter of slavery and removing American Indian people from their lands.

The name change was recommended by the West Calhoun Neighborhood Council, which spent about a year collecting feedback from residents in surveys and at community meetings.

Council Member Linea Palmisano, who represents the area, said she supports the change.

"While we cannot change the past, our neighbors in this neighborhood did not want to honor the legacy of Mr. Calhoun," Palmisano said during the committee meeting.

She added that she sees the change as a "small but potent symbol, I think, of our city's values."

In 2017, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board voted to change the name of Lake Calhoun to Bde Maka Ska, its Dakota name. After a court challenge, the Minnesota Supreme Court decided earlier this year to uphold the name change.