Roanoke City Council approves name change for Lee Plaza

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Roanoke City Council has approved a name change for Lee Plaza.

The area where the Lee monument once stood will be named in honor of Henrietta Lacks, the Roanoke native whose cancer cells continue to fuel groundbreaking medical research.

And the section that includes the Roanoke War Memorial will be named ‘Freedom Plaza.’

Roanoke City Council Member Patricia White-Boyd made the motion.

“And I think we would have the best of both worlds,” White-Boyd said, “and still recognize Henrietta Lacks, which is long, long overdue, and recognize our veterans and those who fought at the same time, where they already stand.”

Naming the plaza in honor of Lacks was the first choice of residents who shared their opinions with the city. The second choice was ‘Star City Plaza.’

Council members debated the options Monday afternoon, but the final vote was unanimous Monday night.

Copyright 2021 WDBJ. All rights reserved.