For the second time, efforts to rename Kansas City’s Troost Avenue failed to advance May 5 when Mayor Quinton Lucas and Councilwoman Andrea Bough voted to place the measure on hold during a council special committee for legal review meeting.
The ordinance, sponsored by District 3 Councilwoman Melissa Robinson, would have changed the name of the historic Kansas City street from Troost Avenue to Truth Avenue, removing the legacy of Dr. Benoist Troost, a 19th-century physician and slaveholder.
“The question is really clear for us: it is a fact that street names honor and celebrate the person whom they are named after,” Robinson said. “So our question today is, should we not celebrate a known slave holder in Kansas City by changing the name of the street?”
Historical Context
Troost Avenue is named after Dr. Benoist Troost, Kansas City’s first physician, who owned six enslaved people. Beyond its namesake’s troubling history, the street became infamous as a racial dividing line in the city, a symbol of segregation that continues to impact perceptions today.
The street has long carried negative connotations for many Kansas City residents. Business owners along the corridor speak of customers hesitant to visit their establishments because of the street’s reputation and historical associations with racial segregation.
Advocates supporting the name change argue that renaming the street would acknowledge past injustices while creating space for healing and unity. Opponents worry about the practical costs for residents and businesses, from changing addresses on identification and banking documents to updating marketing materials and signage.
The $50,000 allocated in the ordinance would only cover city street signs, leaving individual property owners to bear additional costs of the transition.
The potential name change to Truth Avenue would only affect Kansas City south of the Missouri River. Troost Avenue in the city’s northland would be given additional time to consider a separate name change.
Why Truth Avenue?
Chris Goode, owner of Ruby Jean’s Juicery on Troost and the most vocal advocate for the name change, has been engaging with the community on this issue for years. It was Goode who brought forth the name “Truth.”
He chose that name for its phonetic similarity to Troost, making the transition more practical, but also for its symbolic significance. The name represents an acknowledgment of historical facts about slavery and segregation while pointing toward reconciliation.
Goode has championed the “Truth Over Troost” campaign for nearly three years, gathering 12,000+ petition signatures.
Preserving History While Moving Forward
The ordinance included provisions to preserve the history of Troost Avenue through an archival program at the Kansas City Museum, ensuring the street’s complex legacy wouldn’t be erased but rather contextualized in a more appropriate setting.
“We have been collaborating with the Museum of Kansas City to develop a permanent exhibit that details the history of Troost — the person and the avenue,” says Goode.
Community Input
At the special committee meeting, more than a dozen residents voiced their thoughts on the potential name change.
Father Justin Matthews, CEO of Reconciliation Services on Troost Avenue, supported the name change but urged the council to go further.
“Let me be clear, I am not here simply to advocate for this name change, which I do support, but I am here to implore the city council to also fund and undertake simultaneously the work of reconciliation,” Matthews said.
Local business owners also showed support for the initiative. Alan Kneeland, owner of The Combine restaurant located across from Ruby Jean’s Juicery, came forward to endorse the change.
Chris Koch, president of the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association, said residents were caught off guard by the proposal.
“We have a lot of residents caught off guard. Multiple emails and Facebook messages were sent to me over the past week regarding a mailer sent, which was the first time Hyde Park Neighborhood Association had heard of this change officially, outside of the news media outlets,” Koch said.
Echoes of Past Name Change Battles
The council special committee’s hesitation appeared to stem from Kansas City’s contentious 2019 experience when it renamed The Paseo to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard without sufficient community engagement. Voters overwhelmingly reversed that decision in a citywide vote.
After the Paseo name change was overturned, Lucas directed the Parks and Recreation Board to gather public input on how to honor King. This ultimately led to naming a stretch of Swope Parkway, Volker Boulevard and Blue Parkway for the civil rights leader in 2021.
Councilwoman Bough hinted at her discomfort with moving forward without more consensus.
“I feel a little uncomfortable being at this table,” Bough said when discussing the possibility of approving the ordinance without more community engagement.
What Comes Next
Despite the setback, Robinson indicated the fight isn’t over.
“The committee voted it off the docket, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t, as the majority of the council, address this issue,” Robinson told reporters after the meeting. “So, now, it really is about taking it to the full floor and working with other council members who would potentially want to see the name change.”
Robinson defended the community engagement process, noting the city had conducted unprecedented outreach, including an online survey that showed 70% support for changing the name.
“We’ve been doing community engagement for more than two years,” Robinson said. “I don’t think the city has ever done as much community engagement as we’ve done on this topic ever.”
