07-05-2025
‘Nothing happened': No green light given on Troost name change
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Discussion took place again Monday on changing Troost Avenue to Truth Avenue, but not much took place during the Special Committee for Legal Review meeting.
Monday, this item was the only for review within City Hall in KCMO, during that specific session.
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'This was a day of denial, but that doesn't mean that we're not going to continue to fight,' Councilwoman Melissa Robinson said. 'I think about the descendants of slaves, and I think about young people who live along Troost, and I think about them writing that name everyday as their address and I have a problem with that.'
During the public testimony of the session, many shared their thoughts and feelings on the matter. Some described their opposition to it, in its entirety, the process so far, and/or offered up their own name suggestions for the avenue.
'I am 100% against the renaming of Troost to Truth. Renaming Troost is a superficial way to addressing racial inequality,' one man shared during public comment Monday.
Out of the dozen-plus members of the public that spoke Monday, most were in favor of the name change.
Chris Goode, a business owner of a Ruby Jean's, a juicery on Troost Avenue, is one of them.
'My granddaddy couldn't have purchased the real estate that I own. My body would have not have been my own. My ancestors were whipped and spit on and forced to pick fruit trees on that land,' Goode shared.
His shop on Troost Avenue reads '3000 Truth' already.
'I've already moved on, and that was a very nominal cost for me,' he said. 'It's exhausting. What will it take? What will it take for us to be seen as equal? What will it take?'
Mayor Quinton Lucas shared some thoughts with FOX4 Monday on this ordinance as well.
'I think my focus is going to be what the people of Kansas City sent me here to do. What they sent me here to do was make sure the busses are better on Troost, are businesses are safer on Troost. That we are building more economic development on Troost and East of Troost. My priority is always going to be how do I build a better quality of life,' Lucas said.
The Committee, Monday, voted this ordinance to be 'held off docket' and wasn't given any green light to progress. Conversation surrounding it could come back up in the future.
According to the Legislation Text of Ordinance No. 250202, the name change of Troost to Truth would have been effective within six months after the ordinance passed, and $50,000 would have come from the General Fund to change street markers along the avenue.
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The text also reads, Troost Avenue was named after Benoist Troost, a Kansas City physician, and known slave owner.
Robinson said, signage from Troost Avenue would live in museums, and not be erased completely, if this ordinance were to pass.
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