Governor Cuomo Announces Franklin Avenue and President Street Subway Stations in Brooklyn to Be Renamed in Honor of Medgar Evers College

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the Franklin Avenue and President Street Stations in Brooklyn will be formally renamed after Medgar Evers College. The new stations, Franklin Avenue-Medgar Evers College and President Street-Medgar Evers College, will honor the historic contributions of the historically black CUNY college to the Brooklyn communities it serves and stand as a living tribute to Medgar Evers, the civil rights icon whose name the college proudly carries. The pair of subway stations in Brooklyn, Franklin Avenue – lines 2/3/4/5/S – and President Street – lines 2/5 – are set to formally be renamed later this fall. The MTA will begin work on the project in honor of the vital Brooklyn institution this month. Maps, signage and other MTA materials will be amended throughout the course of the summer. The renaming commemorates the critical role that Medgar Evers College plays in the borough and comes fifty years after the school’s founding. A more formal celebration honoring the fully renamed stations is expected to take place in the fall to coincide with MEC’s anniversary. The renaming of the stations is pursuant to legislation put forth by Assemblymember Diana Richardson and Senator Zellnor Myrie. The project is being funded by a $250,000 legislative grant made available by Assemblywoman Richardson. No additional costs for the project will be borne by the MTA or New York City Transit. 

Named in honor of the late NAACP leader who was assassinated due to his courageous work fighting for civil rights, Medgar Evers College has been a Brooklyn staple since its founding nearly fifty years ago. Recognized as a historically black college, the school is a part of the CUNY system. The school is deeply rooted in Brooklyn. It was the first CUNY school to incorporate representatives of the local community actively in the decision-making process that determined its first president and board. That deep connection with the community remains a hallmark of the school today.

-via Press Release

This article was posted on: June 25, 2020