Taney no more. Philadelphia street officially getting new name, making history

A street that runs from South Philadelphia to North Philadelphia and will officially have a new name soon.

On Thursday, Nov. 14, the Philadelphia City Council passed a bill changing the name of Taney Street to LeCount Street.

In 1858, the street was originally named for Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney after he passed the Dred Scott Decision, which denied citizenship to Black people during slavery.

But now, it will be the first street in the City of Brotherly Love named after a Black woman, Caroline LeCount.

LeCount is known as Philadelphia’s Rosa Parks after she integrated Philadelphia’s trolley carts and fought for desegregation in education.

According to the Rename Taney Coalition, when they knocked on every door on Taney Street, 90 percent of the residents said they agreed with the name change.

Officials said the new street signs will go up next year.