Phelan family’s past prompts name change proposal
Supervisor Norman Yee has proposed to change the name of Phelan Avenue, where Riordan is located, to Frida Kahlo Way.
Since 1949, students, faculty and staff have driven to Archbishop Riordan High School at 175 Phelan Avenue. That soon might change because of an effort to rename Phelan Avenue due to its namesake’s connection to San Francisco’s questionable past.
Just this past month, the community was asked to vote for a brand-new name through an electronic voting system. There were five names to choose from, but the winner was “Frida Kahlo Way.” City College of San Francisco and Riordan High School were among the bigger votes since they fill up most of the street.
Phelan Avenue is named after the father of the 25th Mayor of San Francisco. He was an Irish Immigrant, a very wealthy banker of his time, and founder of the First National Bank of San Francisco. However, the son, James D. Phelan, tainted his
family name with racist remarks— campaigning to be elected into the United States Senate with the famous slogan “Keep California White.”
Phelan, the son, is also recognized for being a great patron of the arts in San Francisco. However, his racist political history is the main reason why several people are behind the idea of changing the street’s name.
Ernesto Castillo ’87 said, “There are plenty of streets and other things in San Francisco that are named after people who were also questionable in their moral character or political beliefs, and I would hate to see this turn into a Salem Witch Hunt and renaming every street in SF because of something he or she did in the past.”
Supervisor Norman Yee is the leader in this operation. Before working for the City of San Francisco, he was a board member of City College. He divided the votes by making 40 percent of the vote belonging to City College, and another 40 percent belonging to the residents. The last 20 percent was equally divided between
Archbishop Riordan High School and a miscellaneous group. A meeting was held in which the residents and other people were able to present possible names.
Phelan Avenue resident, Bonnie White, said, “I left the meeting feeling like what the residents wanted didn’t matter. It was a done deal, and Frida Kahlo was the new name.”
Many Phelan Avenue residents have spoken out about their disapproval of the street’s name change.
Barbara Fitzpatrick, mother of Cavan Fitzpatrick ’18 and resident of Phelan Avenue, said, “I feel City College has taken over this vote with the name of Frida Kahlo because they have the Diego Rivera Theater. We have not had a voice in what names we, as the neighborhood, would prefer.”
The choice of Frida Kahlo Way comes from her international recognition as a female artist of color. It is also a romantic choice to have “Frida Kahlo Way” lead to the Diego Rivera Theater at City College. The theater is adorned with the famous Pan American Unity Mural by Diego Rivera, which features the artist’s wife, Frida Kahlo, in the third panel.
Leslie Simon, an interdisciplinary instructor at CCSF told NBC Bay Area News, “This is a whole movement. It is a response to an anti-immigrant time.”
There are mixed feelings among the neighbors. Some are in favor of the name change, some are opposed, and others do not feel like dealing with the hassle that goes along with the renaming of the street they have lived on for so many years.
Tomi Cunningham, a nearby resident, said, “It’s important that names that have been attached to buildings, streets, sports teams be re-examined as we culturally/ historically become more aware of any racist legacy attached to them.”
Riordan did not cast a vote due to lack of communication between the school and the name change committee, according to Andrew Currier, President of ARHS.
Currier said, “Norman Yee explained that they were definitely going to change name. I told him it was never explained to us how to vote, and therefore I think it’s unfair.”
He added that Riordan’s biggest concern was not the idea of a name change, but the process. They would have wanted to suggest “Tyrone McGraw” in honor of the alumnus who died this past year.
The Crusader contacted Supervisor Yee’s office for an interview, but he did not respond by the publication date.
Backers of the name change hope to see that happen in the next nine months, but the proposal still has to go to the Board of Supervisors for final approval.
Edward Vallecillo ’85, a Riordan alumnus who also worked at the City College Bookstore, said, “Twenty-nine years [I] spent on that street. The street name matters in so much that it’s a reference point for a large part of my life. Yet, it’s only a name.”
UPDATE: On June 19, the Board of Supervisors voted to change the name of Phelan Avenue.
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