I understand that the 1600-1900 blocks of Diamond Street are being renamed Father Paul Washington Avenue to honor the clergyman/social activist from the Church of the Advocate. There will be dedication ceremonies, entertainment, etc. this Saturday, September 8, from 12-4.

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Brilliant, now we will have two Washington Aves. How confusing can it get? Why not name all the east west streets in North Phila. after the east west streets in South Phila. We already have "Moore St." and "Cecil B. Moore Ave." and now this.

This may be one of those ceremonial renamings where the original name is still kept. You know how it works -- the old name is on the green sign and the new name is on an orange sign beneath it. We have two of those in our neighborhood right now:

Martin Street (which I believe is a one-block street anyhow) is Marian Anderson Way

The 1800 block of Webster Street is Marian Anderson Place.

Given that the naming only affects three blocks of Diamond Street, I think you can be fairly sure that folks will still call it Diamond Street a good bit of the time.

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LBPhilly is right. Is is more ceremonial than anything else. Like Dixie HummingBird Way" on Poplar.
The name Fr WahingtonAve is on a red attatchment below Diamond St. I saw the signs up today.

I still call Columbus blvd. Delaware ave.

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I knew Paul Washington somewhat, and he was a close friend of my father.

Paul Washington was a great man, always alert to the possibility of injustice, always inclusive, always seeking to lead to better ways to do things.

His most significant achievement may well have been his key role in the ordination of women as Episcopal priests when that was considered a highly radical thing to do. He was always more concerned about being right than being respectable.

He was involved in many social movements designed to help low-income people in general and to rebuild North Philadelphia in particular. The growing sense that the area has value--and that the people there have value--would greatly please him. Adding his name to the existing name a few blocks around the church he helped make nationally famous is a fitting tribute to his leadership and his character.

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