OAKLAND — Oakland is calling on BART to name an unnamed street at the Fruitvale Station after Oscar Grant 10 years after he was shot to death there by a BART police officer.
The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to request BART name the street on the west side of the station between 33rd and 35th avenues “Oscar Grant Way.” BART directors plan to consider it at a February meeting, director Bevan Dufty said at a council committee meeting earlier this month.
Grant’s mother, Wanda Johnson, and Uncle Cephus “Bobby” X Johnson, spoke at Tuesday’s meeting. They thanked the council members, specifically former councilwoman Desley Brooks, for their efforts to honor Grant. In the 10 years since the Hayward man’s death — followed by the conviction of Officer Johannes Mehserle for manslaughter — a nationwide movement was started, bringing awareness and anger over police shooting, especially those involving black men at the hands of white officers.
“Through Oscar’s death, I want to say love in this community has grown even more by different communities coming together, seeing an injustice and working together to improve our judicial system,” Johnson said at the meeting Tuesday.
Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan said it was the City Council’s duty to call upon BART to honor Grant that way.
“We owe it to the life and legacy of Oscar Grant, to his family and friends and to the nationwide movement that was sparked in his name to uphold that honor, and the least we could do is call for the renaming of this road,” Kaplan said.
A mural is being painted at the Fruitvale BART station where Grant died to honor his memory. Johnson, earlier this year, told the Bay Area News Group that she would like to see the station’s name changed to “Fruitvale/Grant” as a way to honor him, as well.
Staff Writers Erin Baldassari and David DeBolt contributed to this report.
