User:Gharri12/Polk Street

History

A photo of the Late Leonidas Polk

Polk street is thought to be named after the Leonidas Polk, he was born April 10th, 1806, and died June 14th, 1864. Back then during the civil war church and sate were separated. A lot of white southern church-goes felt as if god and the bible justified slavery, so a lot of churches took on the side of confederacy. Polk was one of the bishops of the Episcopal Discoes of Louisiana, and because of his political beliefs he went on to found the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America. Creating this new church separated the Episcopal Church from the United States of America.

Present Day

Polk Street is one of the plenty streets in New Orleans that was supposed to be renamed, but as time goes on the chances are less and less. Many people felt that since the street was named after a Confederate General. Back in the 19th and 20th century streets where named after white supremacists to promote Jim Crow and establish racist laws. The city's Street Renaming Commission voted to take the street off the list. They felt like the historical records of the street were very inconsistent not definite. Records may show that the street is named after the Rev. Leonidas Polk's cousin, James K Polk. He was also the 11th President of the United States.

James K. Polk

Polk Street

There's no real data of the length of the street, but looking at maps Polk Street is about 19 blocks long. There's no information on what the street is used for but looking at relator sites, the street is made up of plenty expensive houses. The typical value of a house in New Orleans is about $200,000. According to the to Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, many New Orleans communities/neighborhoods are at risk to gentrification. Plenty of families are struggling to pay a rising rent.