Last summer, the boys basketball team at Evanston Township High School painted “Black Lives Matter” along Dodge Avenue in big yellow letters in front of the school.
The project, which had the city’s support, was an effort to make a statement about injustices Black communities across the country face on a daily basis.
Although the paint faded with time, the team’s determination to make a bold statement did not. On Aug. 14, many of the players were once again at the high school for the unveiling of an honorary street sign declaring a block of Dodge Avenue in front of the high school as “Black Lives Matter Way.”
Although school doesn’t start for another week, many of the players said it was important for them to come out for the unveiling.
“I’m here to support my team and the Black Lives Matter community,” said Morgan Brown, who plays on the ETHS basketball team. “It’s a big thing happening in society today and being African American myself.”
He also said he hopes the honorary street helps people at the school and in the community reflect on the damaging impact of racial injustice.
“I can’t say it will help change everyone’s opinion on it, but I think it will really help the kids at Evanston and people that drive past it and see it that we really care,” said Brown. “It’s something important, that people’s lives matter, a certain race, any race. But things that have been happening to certain ones need attention.”
Ald. Peter Braithwaite worked with city officials to make the honorary street name designation possible and the section of Dodge Avenue in front of the school is the perfect location for it, he said.
“It just made sense we adopt the Black Lives Matter in front of Evanston Township High School, which is actually at the epicenter of our town,” said Braithwaite. “This is the place where we promote our young leaders, where kids come from all over Evanston.
“It’s sort of like the balancing ground,” he added. “It really doesn’t matter your race your economic background. All kids get a great education here.”
Superintendent Eric Witherspoon said the honorary street name is representative of what ETHS and Evanston at-large stand for.
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“We really do believe and know that Black lives matter,” he said. “We really do know and believes that until we achieve equity for this entire community, we are still not the community we could be and should be.”
Student Aiden Maher helped paint the street last summer. He said it was a proud moment for the basketball team.
“We wanted to come together last year and do this,” he said. “We thought it was really special.”
He also said it was important for the team to be there for the street name unveiling.
“It’s a great thing to do,” said Maher. “It’s great for the town. I think it was a great thing for the basketball team to do and it kind of represents Evanston.”
Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter.