The Brady Arts District will not be changing its name. The District is named after Brady Street, which, in turn, is named for Tulsa pioneer Tate Brady. It has been recently learned Brady was a member of the Ku Klux Klan and linked to the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot. Some in the community have said naming a street and arts district after Brady is not appropriate for a revitalized downtown Tulsa.
READ THE LETTER TO THE TULSA CITY COUNCIL
In a letter to the city council, the Association said “Rather than seeking to revise history, today’s residents, visitors and merchants should regard the name as a demonstration of a new set of principles. It reminds us that what is today was not always so. Today, we welcome diversity and use it as a cornerstone for growth. Removing the name is to surrender to the past. Keeping it signals that we will not run from that past.”
The letter was signed “The Members of the Brady Arts District Owners Association”.
The City Council could still consider changing the street name. But, it has no authority to change the names of districts or neighborhoods.