MPR’s Lee Axdahl reports that the City of St. Paul is renaming downtown auditorium after civil rights activist Roy Wilkins, who grew up in the city and attended University of Minnesota.
Wilkins was an important figure in the national civil rights movement, as leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and figure head in numerous marches in the 1960s.
LEE AXTELL: Civil rights leader, Roy Wilkins, grew up in Saint Paul. He attended Mechanic Arts High School and graduated from the University of Minnesota. Minority leaders have been trying for months to find the proper tribute to honor Wilkins. He was at the forefront of social change through the turbulent '60s as leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the NAACP. He was its executive director from 1955 to 1977.
One of the early proposals had local officials suggesting that Saint Paul's Selby Avenue be renamed Wilkins Avenue. That idea was quickly defused by businessmen along Selby, who said it would be too expensive to alter stationery and other office supplies. So a task force was created to find a fitting memorial. And after weeks of talk, it was suggested that the Saint Paul Civic Center Auditorium be renamed the Roy Wilkins Auditorium. The proposal was backed by council member, Bill Wilson, and it passed unanimously. Council member, Jim Scheibel.
JIM SCHEIBEL: Many people who grew up in days around my age when civil rights was something that was real important to us, something that we felt as citizens, was very important that we fight for and fight to accomplish. And Roy Wilkins was somebody who did that in a nonviolent way.
LEE AXTELL: Saint Paul NAACP president, Earl Miller, expressed his gratitude to reporters following the council vote.
EARL MILLER: It's a place where people will frequent. And as one of the councilmen said, I think it not only be appropriate memorial, but it would be a blessing for the city because Roy Wilkins is an outstanding American and Minnesotan, and I think that will even attract more attention to the auditorium itself.
LEE AXTELL: The advantages mentioned by Miller are primarily public relations in nature. Councilman John Galles said that by naming the auditorium after Roy Wilkins, city officials will be able to promote something they can be proud of.
JOHN GALLES: He's going to loan us his name and let us use it in advertisement to publicize that facility. For that, we'll have to be eternally grateful.
LEE AXTELL: The NAACP's Miller, however, says the renaming of just one building doesn't mark the end of local civil rights activities. Perhaps the next agenda item for Saint Paul leaders is some sort of action on the city's stalled affirmative action hiring guidelines.
JOHN GALLES: We are, certainly. Even though the affirmative action plan is stalled, now we can concentrate after-- since we don't have to put any more effort on this, we can concentrate now on trying to encourage the council to be affirmative on the affirmative action plan.
LEE AXTELL: Saint Paul NAACP president, Earl Miller. The Saint Paul Foundation will contribute over $9,000 for the auditorium dedication ceremony that includes a bronze sculpture of Wilkins, who died in 1981. I'm Lee Axtell in Saint Paul.
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