PRESS RELEASE 

Congressman Al Green Acknowledged in Houston Press Article for Funding of Street Name Changes in Missouri City, Texas

(Houston, TX) — On Monday, September 4, 2023, Congressman Al Green was acknowledged in an article by Margaret Downing in the Houston Press titled “The KKK Grand Wizard’s Name is Gone From the Vicksburg Subdivision in Missouri City.” The article questions the appropriateness of naming streets after Confederate figures and slave owners such as Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate general and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Congressman Green is accredited for his initiative in making personal financial contributions, covering the fees for several streets in the subdivision, including two additional streets originally bearing the name Forrest. 

The article highlights steps taken by the Missouri City Council to lower the percentage of resident’s signatures needed to change the name of a street from 90 to 60 percent.  By reducing the petitioning threshold, residents can now better secure City Council approval for changes and are liable for the fees associated with the renaming of streets. Congressman Green has donated personal funds, totaling $1,975.40, to cover these expenses. 

The article is available online on the Houston Press website by clicking here.