What’s in a Name? A Call for You To Examine Your Words
“That which we call a rose/ By any other name would smell as sweet.”
This is a popular quote from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Juliet expresses grief over the last name Montague, which were arch-enemies of her family. Juliet makes the point that the actual name is inconsequential, but the intrinsic qualities of that person are what matter most.
I clearly recall as a young child my father telling me not to tarnish the family name. He didn’t say it quite that way, it was more like “boy, don’t go out here and embarrass this family.” I knew exactly what he meant. Do not discredit or bring dishonor to a reputation that our family had built. At that point, I began to tie my personal, social, and community standing with characteristics like integrity, empathy, hard work, determination, and loyalty. My parents made it clear that these were important building blocks that could attach to me and my name forever.
My family moved to Mechanicsville, VA in 1985. Mechanicsville has a long history of Civil War battles and it was a place full of history and proud of its white and confederate heritage. So proud, that in 1959, leaders of the county decided to use names to deter integration and buttress massive resistance. At the height of the Civil Rights movement, the county leaders chose to name the new high school Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis High School, or Lee-Davis as it was typically referred to. The insult didn’t stop with Lee-Davis but was exacerbated when they chose “Confederates” as the mascot. It was not just the name, but what was in the name that was offensive. These men were leaders of the Confederacy. These men were not fighting for freedom, but rather, the enslavement of others. These names represented fear, pain, and bondage.
From 1990-1994, I attended, represented, and played sports under that moniker. I remember the calls over the loudspeaker of “Touchdown Confederates” and “Go Confederates” and how it would sting every time our team scored. I can remember looking up at those names (Lee and Davis) on the building and feeling the weight of my ancestors.
“Imagine the shame, as a young black teen having to tell people that I attend a school where its namesakes fought to enslave my ancestors and considered anyone who looked like me as inferior. ”
Imagine the shame, as a young black teen having to tell people that I attend a school where its namesakes fought to enslave my ancestors and considered anyone who looked like me as inferior. As a student and athlete, I was representing the very people that never intended for me to walk the school’s halls.
I made the most of my four years while attempting to figure out who I was and where I belonged in the world. I was conflicted about how to embrace the local and school communities. I left my high school experience feeling incomplete. Part of me felt I had failed for even participating, but also disappointed that the climate of my school community didn’t allow me to fully flourish.
Thirty years later, in the wake of an unspeakable tragedy in the death of George Floyd, I fought alongside many others to have my high school name changed. That tragedy was a signal of change, a shift in the climate of social justice. This fight was not for me, but rather for all the students who would come after me. It was for those students who were currently walking the hallways and had to look up at Lee-Davis every day and feel the weight of their ancestors. I am proud to report that the name was finally changed in 2021 to the Mechanicsville Mustangs. If the name change was all that was achieved, it would have been a success, but something greater happened. There were some changes of heart, a community of people grew stronger, and more young people were able to see themselves as part of their school's fabric. All students could look up and feel free, feel pride in the name and the school that they represent. The new name was a work of the entire community and marked a rallying point of togetherness.
Going forward, as we leave our imprint on the world and have others looking up at us, we should greatly consider those intrinsic values of which Juliet and my father spoke.
1. Your name should inspire people toward a thriving future. There should be some act, or endeavor that allows us to envision a brighter tomorrow.
2. The entire community can see themselves in you. The embrace of the community will be easily evident. You are adding to the value of the places you live and work.
3. The life you live should represent the best of humanity. Others can aspire to achieve and become what and who you have become.
What’s in your name? What are you doing to bring your community together and make them stronger? If you aren’t sure or aren’t happy with the answers to these questions, reach out, I’d love to listen and see how I can help.